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Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul cliche, il est filmd 6 partir de Tangle supdrieur gauche, de gauche 6 droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images ndcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la m6thode. arrata to pelure, )n 6 n 32X 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 ■■■ ORNITHOLOGY OK I HE U.MTHl) STATKS A\l) CANADA. IN TWO VOLUMES. Vol. I. *1. ' r'^ UNI 7 6' ^ POPULAR HANDBOOK OF THE ORNITHOLOGY OF THE UNITRI) STATES AND CANADA, Bascti on iJ^Tuttairs iHauual. By MONTAGUE CHAMBERLAIN. Vol. I. THE LAND BIRDS. -I BOSTON: LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY. 1891. , C Copyrij^Jit, J SOI, U\ Little, Brown, and Comtany. ;? ©Intbfrstto ?3rrs3: John Wilson amj Son, Cambridgp i)» P R E F ACE. THIS work is practically an edition of " A Manual , of the Ornitholoj^y of the United States and of Canada," written by THOMAS NUTlALL, though only as much of the original title has been retained as seemed consistent with the changed character of the text. Nuttall's work has been out of print for several years ; but its popularity and real value have kept it in demand, and the few copies recently offered for sale were tlis- posed of at high prices. A new edition was thus called for; but it seemed unwise to issue the work in its origi- nal form, or to remodel it to the extent that would be required to arrange it in harmony with the new n'i^^ime of affairs ornithological; for the science has advanceu' rapidly since the "Manual" was written, and the changes effected have been numerous and important. A new and entirely different system of classification has come in vogue ; the nomenclature has been altered and trinomials introduced; and, indeed, little is left of ll American ornithology as Nuttall knew it, except the birds, — and even of these, two species have become extinct, and a large number of new forms have been discovered. Thomas Nuttall came to this country from England in 1808, and between 1825 and 1834 held the positions VI I'KEKACE. of Curator of the liotanic Garden and Lecturer on Natural History at Harvard University. \i\ 184J he returned to Kn^dand, where he resided until his death in 1859, at the a^Mj of seventy-three. The first volume of the " Manual," containinj^ an account of the Land Jiirds, was published in 1832, and a second edition, with some additional matter, appeared in 1840. The second volume, of which one edition only was issued, came out in 1834. The " Manual " was the first hand-book of the subjcci that had been published, and its delightful sketches uf bird-life and its fragrance of the field and forest carried it into immediate favor, But Nuttall was more than a mere lover of Nature, he had considerable scientific at- tainment; and though he appears to have enjoyed the study of bird-life more than he did the musty side of ornithol(\<;y, with its dried skins and drier technicalities, he had an eye trained for careful observation and a stu- dent's respect for exact statement. It was this rare com- bination that gave to Nuttall's work its real value ; and these chapters of his are still valuable, — much too valu- able to be lost; for if a great advance has been made in the study of scientific ornithology, — which term repre- sents only the science of bird-skins, the names by which they are labelled, and the sequence of these names, in other words, the classification of birds, — if this science has advanced far beyond Nuttall's work, the study of bird-life, the real history of our birds, remains just about where Nuttall and his contemporaries left it. The pres- ent generation of working ornithologists have been too busy in hunting up new species and in variety-makin;::; }o sl| 'genci that ^Ave k| StoocI this portii] and p. older! reeen It binet book and i deter I hav tion I secon has t chapt distin plum well-! unde addei speci a wo as ei , birds :; Tl V gard rKKl ACli. vK -ccturcr mi In 184-' lie il his death iitainiiijr an I 1832, and r, appeared edition only the subject sketches uf rest carried lore than a cientific at- njoyed the sty side of hnicah'ties. and a stii- rarc coni- akic ; and 1 too vahi- n made in rm reprc- by which c names, us science study of ust about The pres- bcen too y-making I ■0 study the habits of birds with equal care and dili- gence, and it is to Wilson and Audubon and Nuttall that we are chiefly indebted even at this day for what We know of bird-life. I must not, however, be under- stood as implying tha* no additions have been made to this branch of knowledge, nor as undervaluing the im- portance of recent observations. But the field is large; and in comparison with ♦^^he work accomplished by the older writers, and with that which is still unknown, the recent acquisitions must be termed slight. It was suggested to me that the new might be com- bined with the old, — that an interesting and useful book might be prepared by taking Nuttall's biographies and inserting brief notes relating the results of recent determinations in distribution and habits. That is what I have attempted in the present work. The Introduc- tion has been given exactly as it appeared in Nuttall's second edition, and the text of the biographical matter has been changed but little. My notes follow each chai)ter in a smaller tyjie, that they may be readily- distinguished. I have also rewritten the descriptions of plumage, and have endeavored to phrase these in such well-known and untechnical terms that they may be understood by unskilled readers. To these I have added a description of the nest and eggs of each species. In short, an efifort has been made to prepare a work that will be useful to young students, as well as entertaining to those who are merely interested in birds. The new matter has been selected with special re- gard for the needs of these classes of readers for I vin PREFACE. Ill have had another motive in the preparation of this work besides that of preserving Nuttall's biographies. Some time ago I made a promise to several Canadian friends to prepare a book treating of Canadian birds that would be scientifically correct and at the same time " popular" in its style. So while writing these pages I have kept Canadim readers constantly in mind, and have given here an account of every species that has been found within the Dominion east of the Manitoba plains, together with their Canadian distribution. The limits of a " hand-book " demanding the most rigid economy of space, when treating of so extensive a subject I have been compelled to omit those species which occiu* only to the westward of the Mississippi valley, though I have endeavored to make mention of every bird that has occurred within this Eastern Faunal Province, from the Gulf of Mexico to the Arctic Ocean, and to give their distribution and breeding area so far as these are known. Nuttall knew very little about the VV^estern birds, and therefore only a few short chapters of his have been lost through restricting the scope of the present work to Eastern forms. The nomenclature adopted is that of the " Check- List" issued by the American Ornithologists' Union. The sequence of species is that arranged by Nuttall, with some few trifling alterations; and being radically different from that of recent authors, the student must be referred to other works for guidance in classification as well as for diagnoses of the higher groups. Coues' " Key to North American Birds" is a useful work, and contains matter not obtainable elsewhere, though the tclcaij ^ican iobtal i:han( iBairc i"A. be e( It have Chai of tl indel PREFACE. IX on of this iographics. I Canadian icHan birds same time lese pages mind, and s that has Manitoba tion. the most extensive >e species lississippi icntion of rn Faunal ic Ocean, ea so far :Ie about w short :ting the ^system of classification now generally used is more Iclearly stated in Ridgway's *' Manual of North Amer- ^ican Birds." Hut the most complete work at present lobtainable, and one which every student should have at hand, is "The History of North American Birds," by Baird, Brewer, and Ridgwa). With that work and tlie H" A. O. U. Check-List " to guide him, the student will be equipped for thorough study. It only remains for me to thank many friends who have aided me. To Mr. William Brewster and Mr. Charles F. Batchelder, the president and the treasurer of the Nuttall Ornithological Club, I am particularly indebted for kind advice and assistance. Xor must I forget to mention the name of my fellow-worker, Ernest E. Thompson, of Toronto. A large number of the illustrations are from drawings made especially for this work by Mr. Thompson. M. C. Harvard Univkrhity, Camfiridge. Mass. September, 1S91. Check- Union. Nuttall, 'adically nt must ification Coues' rk, and igh the UCK}! Blue])irc Bobolinl Bunting P Caraca Cardinal Catbird Chat Chickad Chuck-w Cowbird Creeper, Crossbil Crow Fi Cuckoo, DiCKCIS! Eagle, I ( ( FiN'CIl, I Flicker C O N T E N TS. ACKBiRD, Red-winged Rusty . Yellow-headed Bluebird Bobolink Bunting, Indigo . . . Painted . . Caracara, Audubon's Cardinal Catbird Chat Chickadee ... Carolina . Hudsonian Chuck-will's-widow Cowbird Creeper, Bahama Honey Urown . . . Crossbill, American . \\ hite-winged Crow Fish ... Cuckoo, IJlack-billed . Mangrove Yellow-billed blCKCISSKL .... Eagle, Bald . Gulden . Grav Sea FiN'cii, Purple Flicker . . Pack 96 119 109 310 3'4 6 '95 172 146 150 '5' 465 104 3S8 3^7 37i^ 381 126 '3' 436 437 432 20S '9 '5 372 43S Flycatcher, Acadian . Crested . Least . . Ulive-sided Traill's. . Yellow-bellied fiNATCATCIlER . . . Goldfinch American . Goshawk .... Crackle, Boat-tailed . Purple Grosbeak, Blue . . I"lvening . Pine . . Rose-breasted Gyrfalcon Hawk, Broad-winged (.'ooper's . Duck . . . I larris's . . Marsh . , Pigeon . . . Red-shi)ul(lered Red-tailed . . Rough-lcggcd Sharp-shinned Short-tailed . Sparrow Humming Bird . Jay. P.iue Canada Pace 4'3 421 410 424 426 170 353 348 3' 114 "S 37' 3^7 375 369 7 49 34 9 46 5' It 43 4'- 4' 35 50 13 457 ^33 '38 Xll CONTENTS. I I. Jay, Florida . . . Junco, Slate-colored KlNGHIRD Gray . . Kingtibher .... Kinglet, Goklen-trowned Ruby-cKJWiictl Kite, tvergiade . . .Mi.s.si.ssippi Swallow-tailed . White-tailed . . Lapland Longspur Lark, Horned . . Meadow . . Martin, Purple . . Maryland Vellow-throat Mocking Bird Niciitmawk Nuthatch, lirown-headcd I Red-breasted . White-breasted Oriole, lialtimore Orchard . Osprev .... Oven V.ird . . . Owl, liarn Barred . Burrowing Great Gray . Great Horned Hawk . . . Long-eared Richardson's Saw-whet . . Screech Short-eared . Snowy . . . Parikiukt, Carolina Pewec, Wood . . Phnebe ... Pipit Page 137 339 404 414 461 2S1 40 37 39 3« 304 294 79 391 249 1S7 470 3S6 385 3^3 S3 93 27 75 70 7S 64 61 53 66 73 72 57 68 55 428 419 415 292 Raven Redpoll Redstart Robin Hoary Page i:c 355 SaI'SUCKKR .... Shrike, Loggerhead . Northern . . Siskin, I'ine .... Skylark Snowriakc .... Sparrow, Acadian Sharp Bachman's . Chipping . Field . . . Fo.K . . Grasshopper Hcnslow's House . Ipswich . Lark . . Le Conte's Lincoln's Nelson's Savanna Seaside . Sharp-tailed Song . . Swamp . Tree . . Vesper . White-crowned White-throated Swallow, Bank . . . Barn . . . Clitf . . . Rough-winged Tree . . Swift, Chimney . . . 45- tailed Tanagkr, Scarlet . . Summer . Thrasher, Brown . . Thrush, Bicknell's . . Gray-cheeked Hermit 3ji 30c 345 -* ->- ■3-1 3m 33^' 33^ 3-^9 33^ 354 2( 34'' 344 34- 3'^ 31^ 401 3' 14 3<)'i 40,1 3on 46;, 3ori 300 19- 21: 21 1 2C5 CONTENTS. harp-tailed er led ted Pace • i:c • jjj • J 5'^ . Km 1 6; JCC 345 ■ J-/ ' jjj 3-^9 3jC 35^ 32^ 3'; 331 ■ 34^> • 34-1 • 34-' -. ■.1 .■» ■>- • 3-0 • 3'5 • 3>>^ • 401 • 3"4 ■ 3')'' 40j 4f'l PAtii; Thrush, Louisiana Water . .214 (Hu'-back'.d . . .211 Water 21 j Wilson's 207 Wood 202 ritiuousc. I'uftcd 142 Tuwiiee 359 VlREo, lilueheaded . . rhiladelphia . . Ktd-cyed . . Warbling . . . Whitecyed . . Yelluw-throated Vulture, lilack . . . , Turkey . . , Warbler, I5achman's . . Hay-breasted lilack and white IJlackburnian niack-poll . , i'.lack-throatedlMue Black-throated Green . . I Slue-winged . Canadian . . Cape May Cerulean . . Chestnut-sided Connecticut . Golden-winged Hooded . . Kentucky . . Kirtland's 176 166 1S2 I So 17S 174 4 I 261 237 -j- 23S ^45 230 258 227 226 247 235 253 260 167 246 265 Warbler, Magnolia . . . Mourning . . Myrtle . , . . Nashville . . . Orange-crowned Parula . . . . Pine . . . . Prairie . . . Prothonotary Swainson's . . 'I'ennessee Wilson's . . . Worm-eating Yellow . . . Yellow Palm Yellow-throated Waxwing, Bohemian . . Cedar . . . . Wheatear Whip-poor-will Woodpecker, American toed Xlll pACiK 224 217 263 264 244 239 242 257 256 261 168 -55 230 219 228 •52 1^4 •290 467 three Arctic three-toed 455 Downy Hairy . . . Ivory-billed Pileated . . Ked-bellied . Ked-cockaded Redheaded . Wren, Bewick's .... Carolina .... House Long-billed Marsh . .Short-billed Marsh Winter 456 452 45' 441 444 448 454 446 276 272 266 279 277 270 306 3C') 19: 211 2C5 i i^ '. Oi the a: their the ai in an yieldi like r recess being most go wi rectec may 1 round tarily sunim them heard light, How are th and tl bound lence, of per ^::mm >■■ ry tv :^^a^^^ S^fiTT^^^rl^?*^^ mi^-^t^^^k^-^^ INTRODUCTION. Of all the classes of animals by which we are surrounded in the ample field of Nature, there are none more remarkable in their api)earance and habits than the feathered inhabitants of the air. They play around us like fairy spirits, elude approach in an element which defies our i)ursuit, soar out of sight in the yielding sky, journey over our heads in marshalled ranks, dart like meteors in the sunshine of summer, or, seeking the solitary recesses of the forest and the waters, they glide before us like beings of fancy. They diversify the still landscape with the most lively motion and beautiful association ; they come and go with the change of the season ; and as their actions are di- rected by an uncontrollable instinct of provident Nature, they may be considered as concomitant with the beauty of the sur- rounding scene. With what grateful sensations do we involun- tarily hail the arrival of these faithfiil messengers of spring and summer, after the laj^se of the dreary winter, which compelled them to forsake us for more favored climes. Their songs, now heard from the leafy groves and shadowy forests, inspire de- light, or recollections of the pleasing past, in every breast. How volatile, how playfully capricious, how musical and hapjjy, are these roving sylphs of Nature, to whom the air, the earth, and the waters are alike habitable ! Their lives are spent in boundless action ; and Nature, with an omniscient benevo- lence, has assisted antl formed them for this wonderfiil display of perpetual life and vigor, in an element almost their own. 1 XVI INTRODUCTION. 4I" !lil If we draw a comparison between these inhabitants of the air and the earth, we shall perceive that, instead of the laii,'^ head, formidable jaws armed with teeth, the capacious cht^t, wide shoulders, and muscular legs of the quadrupeds, thn have bills, or pointed jaws destitute of teeth; a long and pliant neck, gently swelling shoulders, immovable vertebrae ; the fore- arm attenuated to a point and clothed with feathers, forming; the expansive wing, and thus fitted for a different species di motion ; likewise the wide extended tail, to assist the general provisi(jn for buoyancy throughout the whole anatomical fraiuc. For the same general purpose of lightness, exists the contrast of slender bony legs and feet. So that, in short, we perceive in the whole conformation of this interesting tribe, a structure wisely and curiously adapted for their destined motion throui^h the air. Lightness and buoyancy appear in every part of tlie structure of birds : to this end nothing contributes more than the soft and tlelicate plumage with which they are so warml\ clad ; and though the wings (or great organs of aerial motion by which they swim, as it were, in the atmosphere) are formed of such light materials, yet the force with which they strike the air is so great as to impel their bodies with a rapidity unknown to the swiftest quadruped. The same grand intention of form- ing a class of animals to move in the ambient desert they occujiy above the earth, is likewise visible in their internal structure. Their bones are light and thin, and all the muscles diminutive but those appropriated for moving the wings. I'he lungs are placed near to the back-bone and ribs ; and the air is not, as in other animals, merely confined to the pulmonary organs, but passes through, and is then conveyed into a num- ber of membranous cells on either side the external region vi the heart, communicating with others situated beneath the chest. In some birds these cells are continued down the wings, extending even to the pinions, bones of the thighs, ami other parts of the body, which can be distended with air at the pleasure or necessity of the animal. This diffusion of air is not only intended to assist in lightening and elevating the botly, but also ajipears necessary to prevent the stojipage or JDternl lapidij thus til almosil INTRODUCTION. XVII >itants of the 1 of the large >acious cht-,!, rupeds, they ig and pliant rte ; the fon- lers, forniin- It species ui L the general niical frame, the contrast we percei\c , a structure ion through ' part of the ; more than 2 so warm I \ irial motion are formed y strike the y unknown 3n of form- lesert they 'ir internal he muscU's ngs. 'J'he md the air iulmonary to a num- region of neath the lown the lighs, and ith air at ion of air ating the ppage or interruption of respiration, which would otherwise follow the japitlity of their motion through the resisting atmosi)here ; and thus the Ostrich, though deprived of the power of flight, runs almost with the swittness of the wind, and recjuires, as he possesses, the usual resources of air conferred on other birds. Were it possible for man to move with tiie rapidity of a Swal- low, the resistance of the air, without some such peculiar pro- vision as in binls, would quickly bring on suffocation. The fUpcrior vital heat of this class of beings is likewise probably due to this greater aeration of the vital fluid. IJirds, as well as cjuadrupeds, may be generally distinguished into two great classes from the food on which they are destined to subsist ; and may, consequently, be termed carnivorous and granlvorous. Some also hold a middle nature, or partake of both. The granivorous and herbivorous birds are provided with larger and longer intestines than those of the carnivorous kinds. Their food, consisting chiefly of grain of various sorts, is conveyed whole into the craw or first stomach, where it is softened and acted upon by a peculiar glandular secretion thrown out upon its surface; it is then again conveyed into a seconfl preparatory digestive organ ; and finally transmitted into the true stomach, or gizzard, formed of two strong muscles connected externally with a tendinous substance, and lined in ternally with a thick membrane of great power and strengtli ; and in this place the rmmasticated food is at length com])letely triturated, and jirepared for the operation of the gastric juice. The extraordinary powers of the gizzard in comminuting food, to prepare it for digestion, almost exceeds the bounds of creil- ibility. Turi well as from the amphibious or acpiatic tribes, that man lub long succeeded in obtaining useful and domestic specii^, which, from their prolificacy and hardihood, afford a vast supply of wholesome and nutritious food. Of these, the Ihn, originally from India ; the (loose, Duck, and Pigeon oi I'uro]K' ; the Turkey of America ; and the Pintado, or Guinea- hen of Africa, are the principal : to which may also be ad- ded, as less useful, or more recently naturaliz-ed, the Peaciw k of India, the Pheasant of the same country, the Chinese and Canada Goose, the Muscovy Uuck, and the European Swan. Carnivorous birds by many striking traits evince the destiny for which they have been created ; they are provided with wings of gre;n. length, supported by i)owerful muscles, which enable them to tly with energy and soar wnth ease at the loftiest elevations. They are armed with strong hooked bills and with the sharp and formidable claws of the tiger ; they arc also further distinguished by their large heads, short netks, strong muscular thighs in aid of their retractile talons, and a sight so piercing as to enable them, while soaring at the greatest height, to perceive their prey, upon which they some- times descend, like an arrow, with undeviating aim. In these birds the stomach is smaller than in the granivorous kinds, and their intestines are shorter. Like beasts of prey, they are of a fierce and unsociable nature ; and so far from herding together like the inoffensive tribes, they drive even their offspring from the eyry, and seek habitually the shelter of desert rocks, ne- glected ruins, or the solitude of the darkest forest, from whence they ui the gli INTRODUCTION. XIX rlisposition o( till' provision nguishcd Inr leir lives ;ir s and fniit\ nsccts ; thn •(•(1 race, am; n the atta( k< Mitle race, ii> lat man li;b Stic species, fford a \ast se, the Hin, 1 Pigeon 01 ), or Guinea- also be ad- ;he Peacijck ;he Chinese e FAiropeaii the destiny )vided with Bcles, which Mse at the ooked bills r ; they are lort necks, alons, and ing at the they some- In these kinds, and ey are of a ig togetlier )ring fnim rocks, no- )m whence thfv tuttr loud, terrific, or i)icrcing cries, in accordance with the gloomy rage and inquietude of their insatiable desires, l;r>ides these grand divisions of the winged nations, there are others, which, in their habits and manners, might be com- pared to the amphibious animals, as they live chiefly on the water, and feed on its productions. To enable them to swim and dive in (|uest of their a(iuatic food, their toes are con- nected by broad membranes or webs, with which, like oars, they strike the water, and are impelled with force. In this way even the seas, lakes, and rivers, abounding with fish, insects, and seeds, swarm with birels of vari(jus kinds, which all obtain an abundant supply. There are other atpiatic birds, frequent- ing marshes and the margins of lakes, rivers, and the sea, which seem to partake of an intermediate nature between the land and water tribes. Some of these feed on fishes anel rep- tiles ; others, with long and sensible bills and exteneled necks, seek their food in wet and mudely marshes. These birds are not made for swinnning ; but, familiar with water, they wade, and many follow the edge of the retiring waves of the sea, gleaning their insect prey at the recession of the tides : for this kind of life Nature has jirovided them with long legs, bare of feathers even above the knees; their toes, unconnected by webs, are only partially furnished with mendjranous apjjcn- dages, just sufficient to support them on the soft and boggy grounds they freciucnt. To tiiis tribe belong the Cranes, Snipes, Sandpipers, Woodcocks, and many others. In comparing the senses of animals in connection with their instinct, we find tliat of jr^V/Zto be more extendeel, more acute, and more distinct in birds, in general, than in (piadrupeds. I say " in general," for there are some birds, such as the Owls, whose vision is less clear than that of quadrupeds ; but this lather results from the extreme sensibility of the eye, which, Aough dazzled with the glare of full day, nicely distinguishes even small objects by the aid of twilight. In all birds the Organ of sight is furnished with two membranes, — an external »nd internal, — additional to those which occur in the human •ubject. The former, mcinbrana iiictitans, or external mem- XX INi'KCJDLCTION. Jti braiic, is situated in the larger angle of the eye, and is, in fact, a second and more transp.irent eyelid, whose motions an directed at pleasure, and its use, besides occasionally cleaniiii; antl pulisiiing the cornea, is to temper the excess of light and adju'.t the (piantity ail)le. Flocks of Storks and Cleese ma\- mount still higher, since, not- withstanding the sjxice they occupy, they soar almost out of light ; their cry will therefore be heard from an altitude of XXIV INTRODUCTION. J\ more than three miles, and is at least fotir times as powerful as the voiee of men and (luadnipeds. Sweetness of voice and melody of song are (lualities which in birds are partly natural and partly accjuired. The facility with which they catch and repeat sounds, enables them not only to borrow from each other, but often even to copy the more diffi cult inflections and tones of the human voice, as well as of musical instruments. It is remarkable that in the tropical regions, where the birds are arrayed in the most glowini; colors, their voices are hoarse, grating, singular, or terrifn. Our sylvan Orpheus (the Mocking-bird), the Hrown 'i'hni>h. the ^^'arbling Flycatcher, as well as the Linnet, the 'i'hni-.li, the iSlackbird, and the Nightingale of Furope, ])rt;-eminent for song, are all of the plainest colors and weakest tints. The natural tones of birds, setting aside those derived from education, exi)ress the various modifications of their wants and passicjns ; they change even according to different times aiv! circumstances. The females are much more silent than tlii males ; they have cries of pain or fear, murmurs of inquietiule or solicitude, especially for their young ; but of song they arc generally deprived. The song of the male is ins]iired by ten- der emotion, he chants his affectionate lay with a sonormis voice, and the female replies in feeble accents. The Nightin- gale, when he first arrives in the spring, without his mate, i- silent ; he begins his lay in low, faltering, and unfrecpient air- and it is not imtil his consort sits on her eggs that his en- chanting melody is com])lete : he then tries to relieve im. amuse her tedious hours of incubation, and warbles nior. pathetically anrl variably his amorous and soothing lay. In state of nature this i)ropensity for song only continues ihrouL'l' the breeding season, for after that period it either entire!; ceases, becomes enfeebled, or loses its sweetness. Conjugal fidelity and parental affi'ction are among the inn-' conspicuous traits of the feathered tribes. The pair unite the:: labors in preparing for the accommodation of their expei ti progeny ; and during the time of incubation their parti( i]>.;- tion of the same cares and solicitudes continually augineni: ! \ INTRODUCTION. XXV powerful as PS which in acihty with iKJt only to more clifti well as of ;he tropical jst glowing or terrifii. wn 'rhni>>h. the Thrush, eminent tur .erived from ir wants and It times aiv! nt than the if incjuictude mg they are ired by ten- a sf)norou> le Nightin- lis mate, \- •(]nent airs: that his en- relieve an> arhles nior lay. In iiu's throui:: KT entirrl; mg the iim-' r unite thi ' Mr expei ti ir particii' ■ y augnu'iit: their mutual attachment. When the young appear, a ni'w source of care and pleasure opens to them, still strengthening the ties of affection ; and the tender charge of rearing and defending their infant brood recjuires the joint attention of both parents. The warmth of first affection is thus succeeded by calm and steady attachment, which by degrees extends, without suffering any diminution, to the rising branches of the family. This conjugal union, in the rapacious tribe of birds, the Eagles and Hawks, as well as with the Ravens and Crows, con- tinues commonly through life. Among many other kinds it is also of long endurance, as we may perceive in our common Pewee and the lilue-bird, who year after year continue to t're- quent and build in the same cave, box, or bole in the decayed orchard tree. But, in general, this association of the sexes ex]iires with the season, after it has completed the intentions of reproduction, in the ])reser\-ation an preparatory vcntriiiiliis, affords in some degree the ruminatiii.; gratification of taste, as after swallowing food, in some insectiv- orous and carnivorous birds, the motion of the mandibles, ix actly like that of ordinary tasting, can hardly be conceived ti exist without conveying some degree of gratifying sensation. Tile clothing of birds varies with the habits and climates they inhabit. The aquatic tribes, and those which live in northern regions, are provided with an abundance of plumage and fine down, — from which circumstance often we ma\ form a correct judgment of their natal regions. In all climates, aqua- tic birds are almost equally feathered, and are provided witli l)osterior glands containing an oily substance for anointing their feathers, which, aided by their thickness, prevents the admission of moisture to their bodies. These glands are less conspicuous in land birds, — unless, like the fishing Eagles, their habits be to plunge in the water in pursuit of their J^rey. The general structure of feathers seems purposely adajned both for warmth of clothing and security of flight. In thc wings of all birds which fly, the webs composing the vanes, or plumy sides of the feather, mutually interlock by means of reg- ular rows of slender, hair-like teeth, so that the feather, except at and towards its base, serves as a complete and close scnen from the weather on the one hand, and as an impermeable oar on the other, when situated in the wing, and reciuired to cateh and retain the in-.])ulse of the air. In the birds which do not fly, and inhabit warm climates, the feathers are few and lliin, and their lateral webs are usually separate, as in the Ostrii 1: Cassowary. Emu. and extinct Dodo. In some cases featlu:- seem to jiass into the hairs, which ordinarily clothe the quadni peds, as in the Cassowary, and others; antl the base of thi bill in many birds is usually surrounded with these capillar) plumes. The greater number of birds cast their feathers annually, riii'l appear to suffer much more from it than the quadrupeds do from to la or ai the rem. and pi])er in t who INTRODUCTION. XXVI I the mouih, . Yet thtrc mach, or \b ; ruminatin.; me insectiv- mdibles, t-x- onceived t> ;ensation. .nd climates hich live in of plumage ; may form a nates, aqua- rovided witli )r anointiiu' ;)revents tlu nids are less Eagles, their prey. ;ely adapts; •ht. In ihc le vanes, or ans of rcg- ler. exct']it lose scrieii rmeable oar red to catch lich do no: and tliir., the Ostrj. '; ses featlu:- he qiuuhi: base of iIk se capillar; mually, :uv\ (lru])eds do from a similar change. The best-fed fowl ceases at this time to lay. The season of moulting is generally the end of summer or autumn, and their feathers are not completely restored till tilt" spring. The male sometimes undergoes, as we have already remarked, an additional moult towards the close of summer ; and among many of the waders and web-footed tribes, as Sand- pi])ers. Plovers, and Ciulls, both sexes experience a moult twice in the year, so that their summer and winter livery appears wholly different. The stratagems and contrivances instinctively emplo\ed by birds for their support and protection are i)eculiarly remark- able ; in this way those which are weak are enabled to elude the pursuit of the strong and rapacious. Some are e\en screened from the attacks of their enemies by an arrangement of colors assimilated to the places which they most frequent for subsistence and repose : thus the \Vryneck is scarcel}- to be distinguished from the tree on which it seeks its food ; or the Snipe from the soft and springy ground which it frecjuents. The Great Plover finds its chief security in stony places, to which its colors are so nicely adapted that the most exact observer may be deceived. The same resort is taken advantage of by the Night Hawk, Partridge, Plover, and tlu' American Quail, the young brood of which s(iuat on the ground, instinc- tively conscious of being nearly invisible, from their close resemblance to the broken ground on which they lie, and trust to this natural concealment. The same kind of deceptive and protecting artifice is often employetl by birds to conceal or render the appearance of their nests ambiguous. 'I'luis the European Wren forms its nest externally of hay, if against a hayrick ; covered with lichens, if the tree chosen is so clad ; or made of green moss, when the decayed trunk m which it is built, is thus covered ; ami then, wholly closing it above, leaves only a concealed entry in the side. (Jur liuiiiining- bird, by external patches of lichen, gives her nest the a])pea!- ance of a moss-grown knot. \ similar artifice is employed by our Yellow-breasted I'lycatcher, or X'ireo, and other-,. 'I'he M XXVlll INTRODUCTION. „))« U ill!: Clolden-crowned Thrusi. {Sciunis aiirocapillus) makes a nest like an oven, erecting an arch over it so perfectly resem- bling the lussuck in which it is concealed that it is only dis- coverable by the emotion of the female when startled from its covert. The liUtcher-bird is said to draw around him his feathered victims by treacherously imitating their notes. The Kingfisher of Europe is believed to allure his prey by displaying tlie brilliancy of his colors as he sits near some sequestered pku c on the margin of a rivulet ; the fish, attracted by the splen- dor of his lluttering and expanded wings, are detained while the wily fisher takes an unerring aim.* The Erne, and our Dald I'.agle, gain a great part of their subsistence by watching the success of the Fish Hawk, and robbing him of his finny prey as soon as it is caught. In the same way also the rapacioih Burgomaster, or Glaucous (lull {Larits i^/aiicus), of the North levies his tribute of food from all the smaller species of li^ race, who, knowmg his strength and ferocity, are seldom inclincil to dispute iiis piratical claims. Several species of Cuckoo, and the Cow 1>ooi)ial of America, habitually deposit their eggs in the nests of other small birds, to whose deceived affection nrc committed the ])reservation and rearing of the parasitic ami vagrant brood. The instinctive arts of birds are numerous; but treachery, like that which obtains in these ])anisitic specit ^, is among the rarest expedients of nature in the feathered tribes, though not uncommon among some insect families. The art (lisj)layed by birds in the construction of their tem- porary habitations, or nests, is also deser\-ing of passim: attention. Among the Gallinaceous tribe, including our l.iiid domestic species, as well as the acpiatic and wading kiniN. scarcely any attempt at a nest is made. The birds which swami along the sea-coast often deposit their eggs on the bare ground, sand, or slight depressions in shelving ro(ks ; governed alone by grosser wants, their mutual attachment is feeble or nugatorv, antl neither art nor instinct prompts attention to the construe- 1 The britjht feathers of this bird enter often successfully, with others, into the composition of the most attractive artificial flies employed by anglers. INTRODUCTION. WIX kes a nest tly resem- ; only dis- ci from its > feathered Kingfisher laying the ;cred place the si)leii- lined wliile e, and our y watching 5 finny prey I rapacious the North ■cies of hb jm inclined iickoo. and |Cir eggs in fection nri' irasitic ami numerous ; tic species, feathered milies. their tem- of passiui; g our land iiig kinds. lich swarm re ground. rned aldiu- r nugatory, i construe- 1 others, into Ici's. tion of a nest, — the less necessary, indeed, as the young run or take to the water as soon as hatched, and early release them- selves from parental deijendence. The habits of the other acpia- tic birds are not very dissimilar to these ; yet it is singular to remark that while ourconnnon (leese anil Ducks, like domestic Fcjwls, have no permanent selective alta( hment for their mates, the Canadian Wild (loose, the l^ider I )uck, and some others, are constantly and faithfully paired through the season; so that this neglect of accommodatitin for the young in the fabri- cation of an artificial nest, common to these with the rest of their tribe, has less connection with the recjuisition of mutual aid than with the hardy and precocious habits of these unmusi- cal, coarse, and retiring birils. It is true that some of them show considerable address, if little of art, in providing security for their young; in this way some of the Razor-bills (including the Common I'uffin) do not trust the exposure of their eggs, like the Culls, who rather rely on the solitude of their retreat, than art in its defence ; but with considerable labor some of the .\lcas form a deep burrow for tiie security of their brood. Uirds of the same genus differ much in tiieir modes of nidi- fication. Thus the Martin makes a nest within a rough-cast ram])art of mud, and enters by a tlat t)]iening in the upper edge. The Cliff Swallow of llonaparte conceals its warm and feathered nest in a receptacle of agglutinated mud resembling a narrow-necked purse or retort. Another species, in the Indian seas, forms a small re(e])tacle for its young entirely of interlaced gelatinous fibres, [)rovided by the mouth and Stoma(di ; these nests, stuck in (lusters against the rocks, are collected by the Chinese, and ])oiled and eaten in soujjs as the rarest delicacy. 'J"he Hank Martin, like the Kingfisher, burrows deep into the friable banks of rivers to secure a de- pository for its scantily feathered nest. The C'hinmey Swallow, originally an inhabitant of hollow trees, builds in empty (diim- neys a bare nest of agglutinated twigs. The Woodpecker, Nuthatch, Titmouse, and our rural Hluebird, secure their yoimg in hollow trees ; and the first often gotige and dig through the solid wood with the success and industry of car- XXX INTRODUCTION'. ' M \M pentcrs, and without the aid of any other chisel than thtir wedged bills. Hut the most consummate ingenuity of ornithal architecture is displayed by the smaller and more social tribes of birds, who, in proi)ortion to their natural enemies, foreseen by Nature, arc provided with the means of instinctive defence. In this labor both sexes generally unite, and are sometinu^s occupied a week or more in completing this temporary habitation for their young. We can only glance at a few examples, chiefly domes- tic ; since to give anything like a general view of this subject of the architecture emi)loyed by birds would far exceed thi; narrow limits we prescribe. And here we may remark that, after migration, there is no more certain display of the reveries of instinct than what presides over this interesting and neces- sary labor of the species. And yet so nice are the gradations betwixt this innate propensity and the dawnings of reason tli.it it is not always easy to decide upon the characteristics ot one as distini:t from the other. Pure and undeviating in- stincts are perhaps wholly confined to the invertebral class of animals. In resjject to the habits of birds, we well know that, like quadrupeds, they possess, though in a Ijwer degree, the capa- city for a certain measure of what may be termed education, or the power of adding to their stock of invariable habits the additional traits of an inferior degree of reason. 'I'hus in those birds who have discovered (like the faithful dog, that humble companion of man) the atlvantages to be derived from asso- ciating round his premises, the regularity of their instinctive habits gives way, in a measure, to im])rovable concej)tions. In this manner our C.olden Robin {Icknis baltiinorc), or Fiery Hang liird, originally only a native of the wilderness and llie forest, is now a constant summer resident in the vicinity of villages and dwellings. From the depending boughs of our towering elms, and other spreading trees, like the Oriole (jf ]]uro))e, and the Cassican of tro])ical America, he weaves Iiis pendulous and purse-like nest of the most tenacious and dur- able materials he can collect. These naturally consist of liie INTKODUCriON. XXXI 1 than their architecture f birds, whu, Nature, arc [n this labor pied a week n for their iefly domcs- this subject exceed tlu: emark that. the reveries ; and neces- i gradations reason tiiat cteristics uf aviating iii- )ral class of iv that, like ;, the capa- . education. 'd habits the lus in those lat humble from asso- instincti\e nions. In ), or Fiery iss and tlio vicinity of ghs of vwr ; Oriole of weaves his s and dur- sist of \hc Indian hemp, flax of the silk-weed {Asc/cpias species), and Other tougii and fibrous substances ; but with a ready ingenuity he discovers that real llax and hemp, as well as thread, cotton, yarn, and even hanks of silk, or small strings, and horse and cow hair, are excellent substitutes for his original domestic ma- terials ; and in order to be convenient to these accidental resources, — a matter of some importance in so tedious a labor, — he has left the wild woods of his ancestry, and conscious of the security of his lofty and nearly inaccessible mansion, has taken up his welcome abode in the precincts of our habitations. The same motives of convenience and comfort have had their apparent influence on many more of our almost domestic feathered tribes; the Hluebirds, Wrens, and Swallows, original inhabitants of the woods, are now no less familiar than our Pigeons. The Catbird often leaves his native solitary thickets for the convenience and refuge of the garden, and watch- ing, occasionally, the motions of the tenant, answers to his whistle with com]ilacent mimicry, or in petulant anger scolds at his intrusion. The Common Robin, who never varies his simple and coarse architecture, tormented by the parasitic Cuckoo or the noisy Jay, who seek at times tf) rob him of his progeny, for protection has been known fearlessly to build his nest within a few yards of the blacksmith's anvil, or on the stern timbers of an unfinished vessel, where the carpenters were still employed in their noisy labors. That sagacity obtains its influ- ence over unv.irying instinct in these and many other familiar birds, may readily be conceived when we observe that this venturous association with man vanishes with the occasion which required it ; for no sooner have the Oriole and Robin reared their young than their natural suspicion and shyness again return. Deserts and solitudes are avoided by most kinds of birds. In an extensive country of unvarying surface, or ]iossessing but Kttle variety of natural productions, and ])articularly where Streams and waters are scarce, few of the feathered tribes are to be found. The extensive prairies of the \\'est, and the gloomy and almost interminable forests of the North, as well as 1 •i XX,\U INTRODUCTION. „il" the unibrai,'eous, wild, mikI unpeopled li.inks of the Mississip|ii, and other of the hirtfer rivers, no less than the vast pine-bar- rens of the Southern States, are nearly without birds as i)enna- nent residents. In crossinj.; the desolate piny glades of tlu South, with the exception of Creepers, Nuthatehes, \V()(i(l peckers, Pine Warblers, and Hocks of Hitting Larks (S/z/n/c/An. scarcely any birds are to be seen till we ai)proach the mean- ders of some stream, or the precincts of a plantation. Tlu- food of birds being extremely various, they conseciuently con- gregate only where sustenance is to be obtained ; watery situa- tions antl a diversified vegetation are necessary for their supijort. and convenient for their residence ; the fruits of the garden and orchard, the swarms of insects which follow the i)rogress of agriculture, the grain which we cultivate, — in short, everything' which contributes to our luxuries and wants, in the way (ii subsistence, no less than the recondite and tiny enemies which lessen or attack these various resources, all conduce to tin su])i)ort of the feathered race, which conseciuently seek out ami frequent our settlements as humble and useful dependents. 'Vhc most ingenious and labore(i nest of all the North Amer- ican bird.i is that of the Orchard Oriole, or Troopial. It is suspended, or jiensile, like that of the Baltimore Bird, but, with the exception of hair, constantly constructed of native mate- rials, the ]irincipal of which is a kind of tough grass. 'I'hr blades are formed into a sort of platted ])urse but little inferior to a coarse straw bonnet; the artificial labor bestowed is so apixarent that Wilson humorously adds, on his showing it to .■ matron of his acquaintance, betwixt joke and earnest, sIk asked *' if he thought it could not be t;uight to darn stoi ly- ings." Kvery one has heard of the Tailor Uird of India {Sr/rid siiforin) : this little architect, by way of saving labor and gain- ing security for its tiny fabric, sometimes actually, as a seam- stress, sews together the edges of two leaves of a tree, in whi(h her nest, at the extremity of the branch, is then secured for the period of incul)ati()n. Among the Sy/r/as, or Warblers, thm.' is a species, inhabiting Florida and the West Indies, the Sy/?'ia /^ciisi/is, which forms its woven, covered nest to rock in lings, INTUODL'CTIOX. xx\m i Mississippi, 1st pine-l)ar- lis as perin;i- :Iades of tin :Ih's, Wooil {Sfiiniti/ii). h the mean- tation. '|"1k (piently con- rt-atery sitiia- hi'ir su])p{)n. the gankii I progress of t, everythiiii; the way m emies which rhice to the leek out and .■ndents. f.'orth Anicr- ijpial. It is , but, with ive mat*.- ass. The If inferior )\veil is so rt'ing it t(i .1 irnest, she arn stoi k- lia {Sx/;-ld and gain- is a seani- ;, in which red for the )k'rs, there idies, {\k to rock ill rd ati ttl t( the air at the end of two suspending strings, rather than trust it t(i the wily enemies by which it is surrounded ; the entrance, for security, is also from below, and through a winding vestibule. Our little cheerful and almost domestic Wren {Trc^i^/tn/v/is fulviis), which so often disputes with the Martin and the Blue- bird the |)ossession of the box set up for their accommodation in the garden or near the house, in his native resort of a hollow tree, or the shed of some neglected out-house, begins his fabric by forming a barricade of crooked interlacing twigs, — a kind of clicrati\-di'-frisc, — for the defence of his internal ha])itation, leaving merely a very small entrance at the upper edge. The industry of this little bird, and his affection for his mate, are SOmewh.it remarkable, as he frequently completes his habita- tion without aid, and then searches out a female on whom to bestow it ; but not being always successful, or the premises not satisfactory to his mistress, his labor remains sometimes with- out reward, and he continues to warble out his lay in solitude. The same gallant habit i)revails also with our recluse Wren of the marshes. Wilson's Marsh Wxcw {Tro^^lodytcs f'li/iisfris), instead of courting the advantages of a proximity to our dwel- lings, li\es wholly among the reed-fens, suspending his mud- plastered and circularly covered nest usually to the stalks of the plant he so much affects, .\nother marsh sjiecies inhabits the low and swampy meadows of our vicinity {Tro'^lodxtcs brc- virostris), and with ready address constructs its globular nest wholly of the intertwined sedge-grass of the tussock on which it is built ; these two species never leave their sub.i(]uatic retreats but for the purpose of distant migration, and avoid and deprecate in angry twitterings every sort of society but their t)wn. Among the most extraordinary habitations of birds, illustra- tive of their instinctive invention, may be mentioned that of tile Bengal Grosbeak, whose pensile nest, suspended from the lofty boughs of the Indian fig-tree, is fabricated of grass, like cloth, in the form of a large bottle, with the entrance down- wards ; it consists also of two or three chambers, supposed to be occasionally illuminated by the fire- flies, which, however, vol.. I. — c 9B XXXIV INTROnrCTION. mi' iir ■\' only constitute a part of the food it probably conveys for tlu' Mijiport of its young, liut the most extraordinary instinct ni thii kind known, is exhibited by the Social)le. or Kepubh( ;m llrosbeak (/%'rV7/.v sorii/s, ('r\ m:k), of the ("ape of (lood Hoiic, In one trei'. a> ( ording to Mr. Paterson, there could not Iir fewer than from eight hundred to one thousand of these nests, covered by one general roof, resembling that of a thatchid house, and ])roji'cting over the entrance of the nest. 'I'iu ir couHuon industry almost resembles that of bees, lleneath thii roof there are many entrances, each of which forms, as it werr, a regular street, with nests on either side, about two inches i\\> tant from each other. The material which they employ in thi^ building is a kind of fine grass, whose seed, also, at the sanu' time serves them for food. That birds, besides their j^redilection for the resorts of nun. are also capable of a])preciating consequences to themsehc- and yoimg, scarcely admits the shadow of a doubt; they ;'R' capable of communicating their fears and nicely calculating the probability of danger or the immunities of favor. We talk of the cunning of the Fox and the watchfulness of the Weasel ; but the I'-agle, TIawk, RavcMi, Crow, I'ye, and Hlackbird pos- sess those traits of shrewdness and caution which would seem to arise from reflection and prudence. They well know thr powerful weapons and wiles of civilized man. Without hv'v.vi able to siiirl! pimnkr, — a vulgar idea, — the Crow and I'lackbinI at once suspect the character of the fatal gun ; they will alight on the backs of cattle without any show of apprehension, and the I've even hojjs upon them with insulting and garrulous playful- ness ; but he (lies instantly from his human enemy, and seems, by his deprecating airs, aware of the proscri])tion that affect'^ his existence. A man on horseback or in a carriage is much less an object of suspicion to those wily birds than when alone : and I have been frecpicntly both amused and surprised, in the Southern States, by the sagacity of the Common lilackbirds in starting from the ploughing field, with looks of alarm, at the sight of a white man, as distinct from and more dangerous than the black slave, whose furrow they closely anil familiarly fol- 1 INTRODUCTION. xwv •ys for tlu' nstinct ni : (.'public. Ill )Otl H()|K, lid not 111' lese nests, I thatchtil St. Thrir ■neath tlii> as it wen , inches di^ )loy in tlii> t the saiUL rts of nun. themselvi - ; they itc calculatin:: We talk ^e Weasel : kbinl jHis- )iil(l seem kncnv tlu' hout beiim IJlackbin! aliifht nil n, and the us pla_\t"nl- nd seems, lat affects e is much len alone ; led, in the Lckbirds in rm, at the erous than iliarly fol- lowed, for the insect food it afforded them, without betraying any appearance of distrust. Need we any further proof of the capacity for change of disposition than that \vhi( h has so lon,LM)iie rated upon our domestic poultry? — *• those victims," as ISiirfon sligliiingly remarks, "which are multiplied without trouble, and sacrificed without regret." How different the hab- its of our (loose and Duck in their wild ami tame coiiditiun ! Instead of that excessive and timid cautiousness, so peculiar to ilieir savage nature, they keep company with the domestic cattle, and hardly shuffle out of our path. Nay. the (iauder is a very ban-dog, — noisy, gabbling, and vociferous, he gives notice of the stranger's approach, is often the terror of the meddling school-boy, in defence of his fostered brood; and it is reported of antitiuily, that by their usual garrulity and watch- fulness they once saved the R(jman capitol. Not only is the disjjosition of these birds changed by domestication, but even their strong instinct to migration, or wandering longings, are wholly annihilated. Insteail of joining the airy phalanx which wing their way to distant regions, they grovel contented in the perpetual abundance attendant on their willing slavery. If instinct can thus be destroyed or merged in artificial circum- stances, need we wonder that this ])rotecting and innate intelli- gence is capable also of another change by improvement, adapted to new habits and uimatural restraints? I-'ven without undergoing the slavery of domestication, many birds become fully sensible of immunities and protection ; and in the same aquatic and rude family of birds already mentioned we may quote the tame habits of the Kider Ducks. In Iceland and other coimtries, where they breed in such numbers as to render their valuable down an object of commerce, they are forbidden to be killed under legal penalty ; and as if aware of this legisla- tive security, they sit on their eggs undisturbed at the approach of man, and are entirely as familiar, during this season of breeding, as our tamed Ducks. Nor are they a])parently aware of the cheat habitually practised ui)on them of abstracting the down with which they line their nests, though it is usually repeated until they make the third attempt at incubation. If, 1 XX.W'l INTRUDUCTIUN. however, the last nest, with its eggs and down, to the liniii. (jf whicii the male is now (jhliged to contribute, be taken awav they sagaciously leave tlie premises, without return. 'I"he [)\o\>. .Storks, in Holland, protected by law for their usefulness, biiilr their nests on the tops of houses and churches, often in tlv midst of cities, in boxes i)reparetl for them, like those for or,: .Martins; and, walking about the streets and gardens witlio: api)rehen.sion of danger, perlorm the usual otifice of domesti jii That birds, like our more sedentary and domestic quadn; peds, are cajjable of e\hi])iling attachment to those who fco and attend them, is undeniable. Deprived of other societv. some of our more intelligent si)ecies, particularly the Thrushcv soon learn to seek out the company of their friends or proiec tors of the human species. The Brown Thrush and Mockir. liird become in this way extremely familiar, cheerful, an. capriciously playful ; the former, in particular, courts the atten- tion (^f his master, follows his steps, complains when neglects: flies to him when suffered to be at large, and sings and repo^ gratefully perched on his hand, — m short, by all his actions li^ appears capable of real and affectionate attachment, and i jealous of every rival, particularly any other bird, which h; persecutes from his presence with unceasing hatred. His pi: ulant dislike to particular objects of less moment is also di- played by various tones and gestures, which soon beconi: sufficiently intelligible to those who are near him, as well > his notes of gratulation and satisfaction. His language t fear and surprise coukl never be mistaken, and an imitation i his guttural low /s/irrr, tshcrr, on these occasions, answers . a premonitory warning when any danger awaits him from tl. sly approach of cat or s(]uirrel. As I have now descende INTRODUCTION. XX.Wll 0 the linin. taken away , 'I'hc pioi;- iilncss, bulk oftcMi in th, hose for Ol- dens witho: of domestic ?stic qiiadn; ,)se who fee ither society, he 'I'hrusiie-. lis or proiec ^nd Mockir. ■heerful, aiv. rts the attcn- jn neglectci; i and re'pOM- lis actions Iv nent, and : d, which li: d. His ix;- is also di- oon beconi: as well a- anguage > imitaticMi i answers im from ll: escended, .; birds, whi' Iso add, th n. in whii 1 I was wr;; ch sur])iise'. occllafm 11 J Whi'h I had caught and placed in a tumbler. On al! siudi Occasions his looks of (apricious surprise were very amusing ; he cautiously approaclicd tlie glass with fanning and closing wings, and in an under-tone confessed his surprise at the address and jumping motion of the huge msect. At length he became bolder, and perceiving it had a relation to his ordinary prey of beetles, he, with some hesitation, ventured to snatch at the -prisoner between temerity and playfulness. l>ut when really alarmed or offended, he instantly (lew to his loftiest perch, for- bid all friendly approaches, and for some time kept up his low and angry tshcrr. My late friend, the venerable William IJar- tram. was also much amused by the intelligence disi)laye(l by this bird, and relates that one which he kept, being fond of hard bread-crumbs, found, when they grated his throat, a very rational remedy in softening them, by soaking in his vessel of water ; he likewise, by exjjerience, discovered that the j^ainful prick of the was])s on which he fed, could be obviated by ex- tracting their stings. But it would be too tedious and minute to f)llow out these g 'iimerings of hitelligence, which exist as well in birds as in our most sagacious quadrupeds. 'I'he remarkable talent of the Parrot for imitating the tones of the human voice has long been familiar. The most extraordinary and well authenticated account of the actions of one of the common ash-colored species is that of a bird which C'olonel . O'Kelly bought for a hmidred guineas at Bristol. Tliis indi- vidual not only repeated a great number of sentences, but ansuH'irJ many (juestions, and was able to whistle a variety of tunes. While thus engaged it beat tmie with all the apjiear- ance of science, and possessed a judgment, or ear so accurate, that if by chance it mistook a note, it would revert to the bar where the mistake was made, correct itself, and still beating regular time, go again through the whole with i)crfect exact- ness. So celebrated was this surprising bird that an obituary notice of Its death appeared in the "(General Evening I'ost " for the 9th of October, 1S02. In this account it is added, that besides her great musical faculties, she could express her wants articulately, and give her orders in a manner aj-iproaching to XXXVlll INTRODUCTIOX. „.ir I iiii rationality. She was, at the time of her decease, supposed to be more than thirty years of age. The colonel was repeat- edly offered five hundred guineas a year for the bird, bv persons who wished to make a public exhibition of her ; bii; out of tenderness to his favorite he constantly refused tht offer. The story related by Goldsmith of a parrot belonging ti King Henry the Seventh, is very amusing, and possibly true. I: was kept in a room in the Palace of Westminster, overlook in: the Thames, and had naturally enough learned a store of boat men's phrases ; one day, sportmg somewhat incautiously, Poll fell mto the river, but had rationality enough, it appears, h make a profitable use of the words she had learnec',, and a( cordingly vociferated, " A boat ! twenty pounds for a boat! This welcome sound reaching the ears of a waterman, soo- brought assistance to the Parrot, who delivered it to th: king, with a request to be paid the round sum so readily prom ised by the bird ; but his Majesty, dissatisfied with the exor- bitant demand, agreed, at any rate, to give him what tl;; bird should now award; in answer to which reference, I'o! shrewdly cried, " Clive the knave a groat ! " The story given by Locke, in his " Essay on the Huiiia: Understandmg," though approaching closely to rationaHty, an- apparently improbable, may not be a greater effort than coui have been accomplished by Colonel O' Kelly's bird. Th; Parrot had attracted the attention of Prince Maurice, the: governor of IJrazil, who had a curiosity to witness its power- The bird was introduced into the room, where sat the prim in company with several 1 )utchmen. On viewing them, t! Parrot exclaimed, m Portuguese, " What a company of whit: men are here ! " Pointing to the prince, they asked, " Who: that man?" to which the Parrot replies. " Some general o: other." The prince now asked, " i'rom what place do y come?" The answer was, " I'rom Marignan." "To whc: do you belong?" It answered, " To a Portuguese." " A\lr do you do there?" To which the Parrot replied, " I look it; chickens ! " The prince, now laughing, exclaimed, " Vcw loi- INTRODUCTION'. XXXIX supposed to was repeat- the bird, bv of her ; bu; refused the )elonging tc bly true. I: overlookinc tore of boat utiously, l'o[ appears, i nec'., and at for a boat ! :erman, soor d it to the eadily prom th the exor- in what tli: ference, Vo\ the Humn: ionahty, aii' t than cou'l bird. Thi^ aurice, the: s its power- it the priiK- g them, th: uiy of whit: d, "Who;- general c: ace do V"- "To whii: ." " ^\■h I look lit " Vou lot :■ after chickens ! " To which Poll pertinently answered, " Yes, /, — and I know well v.iiough how to do it ;" clucking at the same instant in the manner of a calling brood-hen. The docility of birds in catching and expressing sounds depends, of course, upon the perfection of their voice and hearing, — assisted also by no inconsiderable power of memory. The imitative actions and jjassiveness of some small birds, such as (Joldfinches, Linnets, and Canaries, are, however, (piite as curious as their expression of sounds. A Sieur Roman exhib- ited in I'Jii^land some of these birds, one of which simulated death, and was held up by the tail or claw without showing any active signs of life. A second balanced itself on the head, with its claws in the air. A third imitated a milkmaid going to market, with pails on its shoulders. A fourth mimicked a Venetian girl looking out at a window. A fifth acted the soldier, and mounted guard as a sentinel. The sixth was a cannonier, with a caj) on its head, a lirelock on its shoulder, and with a match in Us claw discharged a small cannon. The same birtl also acted as if wounded, was wheeled in a little barrow, as it were to the hospital ; after which it flew away before the company. The seventh turned a kind of windmill ; and the last bird stood amidst a discharge of small fireworks, without showing any sign of fear. A similar exhibition, in which twenty-four Canary birds were the actors, was also shown in London in 1S20, by a Frenchman named Dujon ; one of these suffered itself to be shot at, and foiling down, as if dead, was put into a little wheelbarrow and conveyed away by one of its comrades. The docility of the Canary and (loldfinch is thus, by dint of severe education, put in fair competition with that of the dog ; and we cannot deny to the feathered creation a share of that kind of rational intelligence exhibited by some of our sagacious quadrui)eds, — an inci])ient knowledge of cause and effect far removed from the unimprovable and unchangeable destinies of instinct. Nature probably delights less in producing such animated machin' ^ than we are apt to suppose ; and amidst the mutability of circumstances by which almost every animated ran \1 INTRODUCTION. being is surrounded, there seems to be a frequent flemand for that reheving invention denied to those animals which are solely governed by inflexible instinct. The veKjcity with which birds are able to travel in their aerial element has no parallel among terrestrial animals ; and this powerful capacity for progressive motion is bestowed in aid of their peculiar wants and instinctive habits. The swiftest horse may ])erhaps proceed a mile in something less than two minutes ; but such exertion is unnatural, and quickly fatal. An Eagle, whose stretch of wing exceeds seven feet, with ease and majesty, and without any extraordinary effort, rises out of sight in less than three minutes, and therefore must fly more than three thousand five hundred yards in a minute, or at the rate of sixty miles in an hour. At this speed a bird would easily per- form a journey of six hundred miles in a day, since ten hours only would be required, which would allow frec^uent halts, and the whole of the night for repose. Swallows and other migra- tory birds might therefore pass from northern Europe to the equator in seven or eight days. In fact, Adanson saw, on the coast of Senegal, Swallows that had arrived there on the 9th of October, or eight or nine days after their departure from the colder continent. A Canary Falcon, sent to the Duke of Lerma, returned in sixteen hours from Andalusia to the island of Tene- riffe, — a distance of seven hundred and fifty miles. The (lulls of Barbadoes, according to Sir Hans Sloane, make excursions in flocks to the distance of more than two hundred miles after their food, and then return the same day to their rocky roosts. If we allow that any natural powers come in aid of the instinct to migration, so powerful and uniform in birds, besides their vast capacity for motion, it must be in the perfection and delicacy of their vision, of which we have such striking ex- amples in the rapacious tribes. It is possible that at times they may be directed principally by atmospheric phenomena alone ; and hence we find that their appearance is frequently a concomitant of the approaching season, and the wild Petrel of the ocean is not the only harbinger of storm and coming change. The currents of the air, in those which make exten- sive voyages, scitsons, wher or departure That birds a journeys fron^ fill than the master, for m steps. It is that the Passf to the i)lace in an open scenery. M: great valleys southern or the (."onnecti( the Santee, ai in part, the le mysterious a; those of all 01 tiiiation of \r southern part ico. to which they were ne liv thousands of autumn, adventurous tiNiirous spec re;^'i()ns of tl ih rough Me '; merely an a ■ number, whc ' oeean-bounc ai;e is presi i young and ;| before they ^ tercd island .1 our little vo -% INTRODUCTION. XI I sive voyages, are sedulously employed ; and hence, at certain seasons, when they are usually in motion, we find their arrival or departure accelerated by a fovorable direction of the winds. 'i'hat birds also should be able to derive advantage in their journeys from the acuteness of their vision, is not moie wonder- ful than the capacity of a dog to discover the path of his master, for many miles in succession, by the mere scent of his steps. It is said, indeed, in corroboration of this conjecture, that the Passenger, or Carrying Pigeon, is not certain to return to the place from whence it is brought, unless it be conveyed in an open wicker basket admitting a view of the passing scenery. Many of our birds, however, follow instinctively the u'leat valleys and river-courses, which tend towards their southern or warmer destination; thus the great valleys of the Connecticut, the Hudson, the Delaware, the Susquehanna, the Santee, and more particularly the vast Mississipi)i, are often, ill [)art, the leading routes of our migrating birds. Put, in fact, mysterious as is the voyage and departure of our birds, like those of all other coimtries where they remove at all, the des- tination of many is rendered certain, as soon as we visit the ^ollthern i)arts of the Union, or the adjoining countries of Mex- i(i). to which they have retired for the winter; for now, where the\- were nearly or wholly unknown in siunmer, they throng liv thousands, and flit before our path like the showering leaves of autumn. It is curious to obsen-e the pertinacity of thisf" adventurous instinct in those more truly and exclusively insec-' tivorous species which wholly leave us for the mild and genial reL,aons of the tropics. Many penetrate to their destination through Mexico overland ; to these the whole journey is merely an amusing and varied feast. Put to a much smaller number, who keep too far toward the sea-coast, and enter the ocean-botmd peninsula of Florida, a more arduous aerial voy- age IS presented ; the wide ocean must be crossed, by the young and inexperienced as well as the old and venturous, before they arrive either at the tropical continent or its scat- tered islands. When the wind proves propitious, however, our little voyagers wing their unerring way like prosperous xlii INTRODUCTION. fairies ; but baffled by storms and contrary gales, they often suffer from want, and at times, like the Quails, become victims to the devouring waves. On such unfortunate occasions (as Mr. Bullock ^ witnessed in a voyage near to Vera Cruz late in autumn), the famished travellers fomiliarly crowd the decks of the vessel, in the hope of obtaining rest and a scanty meal preparatory to the conclusion of their unpropitious flight. Superficial observers, substituting their own ideas for facts, are ready to conclude, and frequently assert, that the old and young, before leaving, assemble together for mutual departure ; this may be true in many instances, but in as many more a different arrangement obtains. The young, often instinctively vagrant, herd together in separate flocks previous to their departure, and guided alone by the innate monition of Nature, seek neither the aid nor the company of the old ; consequently in some countries flocks of young of particular species are alone observed, and in others, fiir distant, we recognize the old. From parental aid the juvenile company have obtained all that Nature intended to bestow, — existence and education ; and they are now thrown upon the world among their numerous companions, with no other necessary guide than self-preserving instinct. In Europe it appears that these bands of the young always affect even a warmer climate than the old ; the aeration of their blood not being yet complete, they are more sensible to the rigors of cold. The season of the year has also its effei t on the movements of birds ; thus certain species proceed to their northern destination more to the eastward in the spring, and return from it to the south-westward in autumn. The habitudes and extent of the migrations of birds admit of considerable variety. Some only fly before the inundating storms of winter, and return with the first dawn of spring ; these do not leave the continent, and only migrate in quest of food when it actually begins to fail. Among these may be named our common Song Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow, Blue bird, Robin, Pewee, Cedar Bird, Blackbird, Meadow Lark, and many more. Others pass into warmer climates in the autumn, I Travels in Mexico. after rearmj J that their cl which it offe (){ several ki Albatros, an The grea species, how prey, — Cro birds, Swalk in the night Mycutchers, number of nocturnal, e where they erfully impe they stop nt cilkis, Plovei untoward ci •i I of l)irds, wl $ their route c to eat ; yet by day, wha inquired, wi' animals are aid of recru: travel that i detained in day they ai in taking nc ing repose, ceasing in t and when tl IS their cus for ^acilitati journey, stil while trave can subsist *^ INTRODUCTION. xliii ;it'ter rearing their young. Some are so given to wandering that their choice of a country is only regulated by the resources which it offers for subsistence ; such are the Pigeons, Herons i)f several kinds, Snipes, wild Geese and Ducks, the wandering Albatros, and Waxen Chatterer. The greater number of birds travel in the night ; some specie's, however, proceed only by day, as the diurnal birds of prey, — Crows, Pies, Wrens, Creepers, Cross-bills, Larks, Blue- birds, Swallows, and some others. Those which travel wholly in the night are the Owls, Butcher Birds, Kingfishers, Thrushes, llyciitchers, Night Hawks, VV^hip-poor- wills, and also a great number of aquatic birds, whose motions are also principally nocturnal, except in the cold and desolate northern regions, where they usually retire to breed. Other birds are so pow- erfully impelled by this governing motive to migration that they stop neither day nor night ; such are the Herons, Mota- cillas. Plovers, Swans, Cranes, Wild Geese, Storks, etc. \\'hen untoward circumstances render haste necessary, certain kinds of birds, which ordinarily travel only in the night, continue their route during the day, and scarcely allow themselves time to eat ; yet the singing-birds, properly so called, never migrate by day, whatever may happen to them. And it may here be inquired, with astonishment, how these feeble but enthusiastic animals are able to pass the time, thus engaged, without the aid of recruiting sleep ? But so powerful is this necessity for travel that its incentive breaks out equally in those which are detained in captivity, — so much so that although during the (lay they are no more alert than usual, and only occupied in taking nourishment, at the approach of night, far from seek- ing repose, as usual, they manifest great agitation, sing without ceasing in the cage, whether the apartment is lighted or not ; and when the moon shines, they appear still more restless, as it IS their custom, at liberty, to seek the advantage of its light for facilitating their route. Some birds, while engaged in their journey, still find means to live without halting, — the Swallow, while traversing the sea, pursues its insect ])rey ; those who I in subsist on fish without any serious effort, feed as they pass xHv INTRODUCTION. ii' ''Mk or graze the surface of the deep. If the Wren, the Creeper, and the 'I'itniouse rest fcjr an instant on a tree to snatch a hasty morsel, in the next they are on the wing, to fulfil their destina- tion. However al)undant may be the nourishment which presents usdf lo supply their wants, in general, birds of passage rarely remain more than two da\s together in a place. The cries of many birds, while engaged in their aerial voy- age, are such as are only heard on this important occasion, ami appear necessary for the direction of those which fly in assem- bled ranks. During these migrations it has been observed that birds fly (ordinarily in the higher regions of the air, except when fogs force them to seek a lower elevation. This habit is particularly jirevalent with Wild Geese, Storks, Cranes, ami Herons, which often pass at such a height as to be scarcely distinguishable. We shall not here enter into any detailed description of the manner in which each species conducts its migration, but shall content ourselves with citing the single remarkable exam- ple of the motions of the Cranes. Of all migrating birds, these appear to be endowed with the greatest share of foresight. They never undertake the journey alone ; throughout a circle of several miles they appear to communicate the intention of commencing their route. Several days previous to their de])arture they call ujoon each other by a peculiar cry, as if giving warning to assemble at a central point ; the favorable moment being at length arrived, they betake themselves to flight, and, in military style, fall into two lines, which, uniting It the summit, form an extended angle with two equal sides. At the central point of the phalanx, the chief takes his station, to whom the whole troop, by their subordination, appear to have pledged their obedience. The commander has not only the painful task of breaking the ]xath through the air, but he has also the charge of watching for the common safety ; t(i avoid the attacks of birds of prey ; to range the two lines in a circle at the approach of a tempest, in order to resist with more effect the squalls which menace the dispersion of the linear rant (•(iinpniiy nourishniel liiiiction oi A^ M)()n ask till' next 'n\ iiig the nij. \hv loud ci of the cluei Wild C.eesi \(ivage neal (■ail of the higher regie pniof of th togs in the f ^teal along lower i)ath The dire nii:,'ration o lull to be ; accidents, w suddenly ch \erging froi Lnid or islai who conse(i at variable t i>lands of 1 wrcks, the ; luy. And when they course whil whelming si way to theii anii)le mcar cautious wr As the peri< chills of aut INTRODLCTIOX. xh a til he linear ranks; and, lastly, it is to their leader that the fatigued i(iiii|Kinv look up to appoint the most convenient places for nourishment antl repose. Still, im|)ortant as is the station and riuiction of the aerial director, its existence is but momentary. .\> Mion as he feels sensible of fatigue, he cedes his place U) the lu'xt in the file, and retires himself to its extremity. Dur- inn the night their flight is attended with considerable noise; ilu' loud cries which we hear, seen\ to be the marching orders of the chief, answered by the ranks who follow his commamls. W ild deese and several kinds of Ducks also make their aerial voyage nearly in the same manner as the Cranes. The loud call of the jxissing (Jeese, as they soar securely through the higher regions of the air, is familiar to all ; but as an additional |itdiif of their sagacity and caution, we may remark that when I'ol;^ in the atmosphere render their tlight necessarily hjw, ihey ^tcil along in silence, as if aware of the danger to which their lower iiath now exjjoses them. 'ihe direction of the winds is of great miportance to the migration of birds, not only as an assistance when fivorable, bill to be avoided when contrary, as the most disastrous of accidents, when they are traversing the ocean. If the breeze suddenly change, the aerial voyagers tack to meet it, and di- verging from their original course, seek the asylum of some l.nvl or island, as is the case very fre(|uently with the (Quails, who consecjuently, in their jjassage across the Mediterranean, at variable times, make a descent in immense numbers on the islands of the Archipelago, where they wait, sometimes for weeks, the arrival of a propitious gale to terminate their jour- ney. And hence we perceive the object of migrating birds, when they alight upon a vessel at sea ; it has fallen in their (ourse while seeking refuge from a baffling breeze or over- whelming storm, and after a few hours of rest they wing their way to their previous destination. That Nature has provided ample means to fulfil the wonderful instinct of these feeble but cautious wanderers, appears in every ])art of their economy. As the period approaches for their general departure, and the chills of autumn are felt, their bodies begin to be loaded with xlvi INTKUDUCTION. cellular matter, and at no season of the year are the true birds of passage so fat as at the ap])roach of their migration. The (lulls, (!ranes, and Herons, almost proverbially macilent, are at this season loaded with this reservoir of nutriment, which is intended to administer to their supjjort through their arduous and hazardous voyage. With this natural jjrovision, dormant animals also commence their long and dreary sleep through the winter, — a nutritious resource no less necessary in binls while engagetl in fulfilling the powerful and waking reveries of instmct. But if the act of migration surprise us when performed by birds of active power of wing, it is still more remarkable when undertaken by those of short and laborious flight, like the Coots and Rails, who, in fact, perform a part of their route on foot. The (Ireat Penguin {A/ca impetniis), the (luillemot, and the Divers, even make their voyage chiefly by dint of swim- ming. The young 1-oons {^Colymhiis ^laciahs^, bred in inland pontls, though proverbially lame (and hence the name of Loni, or Loon), without recourse to their wings, which are at this time inefficient, continue their route from pond to pond, floundering over the intervening land by night, until at length they gain some creek of the sea, and finally complete their necessary migration by water. I'jirds of passage, both in the old and new continents, arc observed generally to migrate southwest in autumn, and to pass to the northeast in spring. Parry, however, it seems, cb served the birds of Greenland proceeil to the southeast. This apparent aberration from the usual course may be accounted for by considering the habits of these aquatic birds. Intent on food and shelter, a part, bending their course over the coM regions of Norway and Russia, seek the shores of Europe ; while another division, ccjually considerable, proceeding south- west, spread themselves over the interior of the United States and the coast and kingdom of Mexico. This propensity to change their climate, induced by what- ever cause, is not confined to the birds of temperate regions ; it likewise exists among many of those who inhabit the tiopics. Aii'iatic ihr line oi thf rivers, irara and iiKiiiy of ih l";il Cimpai like the ci ilia/il, wht of particuk W a suftic with any s The Ion case of mai tion to the few months sion of all i Titmouse o no longer t( mils gener; ref[uired to greater. Ii vivacious a: class. Our necessarily 1 wliirh we h: Ihe^e exami years ; Pigt tained more halt a centu Ravens, and in the unnal teen or rifte( this remark; been offeree purous natti general ossii INTRODUCTION. xlvii arc Aipiatic birds of several kinds, according to Humboldt, cross ihr line on cither side about the time of the periodical rise of the livers. Waterton, likewise, who spent much time in Dem- rriri ami the neighboring countries, observed that the visits of many of the tropical birds were periodical. 'J'hus the wonder- lal L'ampanero, whose solemn voice is heard at intervals tolling like the convent-bell, was rare to Waterton, but fre(iuent in r.ra/il, where it most probably retires to breeil. The failure of particular food at any season, in the mildest climate, would be a sufficient incentive to a partial and overlantl migration with any species of the feathered race. The longevity of birds is various, and, different from the case of man and (juadrupeds, seems to bear but little propor- tion to the age at which they actjuire maturity of character. A {'^:\\' months seems sufficient to bring the bird into full posses- sion of all its native powers ; and there are some, as our Marsh Titmouse or Chickadee, which, in fact, as soon as Hedged, are no longer to be distinguished from thei»- parents. Land ani- mals generally live six or seven times as long as the period rcfiuired to attain maturity ; but in birds the rate is ten times greater. In proportion to their siice, they are also far more vivacious and long-lived than other animals of the superior class. Our knowledge of the longevity of birds is, however, necessarily limited to the few examples of domesticated species which we have been able to support through life : the result of 'Jicsc examples is, that our domestic Fowls have lived twenty years ; I'igeons have exceeded that period ; Parrots have at- tained more than thirty years. Geese live probably more than halt a century; a Pelican has lived to eighty years; and Swans, Ra\cns, and Eagles have exceeded a century. I'-ven Linnets, ill ilie unnatural restraints of the cage, have survi\-e(l for four- teen or fifteen years, and Canaries twenty-five. To account for this remarkable tenacity of life, nothing very satisfactory has been offered ; though Ikiffon is of oi)inion that the soft and porous nature of their bones contributes to this end. as the ^'eiural ossification and rigidity of the system perpetually tends to abridge the boundaries of life. xlviii IM'RUIJUCTIUN. In a f^fucral way it may he ( oiij^KK-rcd as csseniial for the bird to liy a^ il is tor the lish to swiiu or the (iua(lrii|ic(l in walk ; yel in all these tribes there are exceptions to the j,'enei.;l habits. Ihiis among (luadrupeds the bats lly, the seals swim, and the beaver and otter swim better than tiiey c:an walk. Sn also among birds, tiie Ostruh, (lassowary, and so' •hei>, incajjable of llying. are obliged to walk ; others, as th ippei^, lly and swim but never walk. Some, like the Swallows and Mumming liirds, pass their time chielly on the wing. A fir greater number of birds live on the water than of iiuadrujjed^, for of the latter there are not more than five or si.x kinds fur- nished with webbed or oar-like feet, whereas of birds with this structure there are several hundred. 'I'he lightness of thiir feathers and bones, as well as the boat like form of their bodies, contributes greatly to facilitate their buoyancy and progress in the water, and their feet serve as oars to propel them. Thus in whatever way we view the feathered tribes whi( h surround us, we shall find much both to annise and instru( t. We hearken to their songs with renewed delight, as t'- arbiu- gers and associates of the season they accompa Vheir return, after a long absence, is hailed with gratitude to the Author of all existence ; and the cheerless solitude of inani- mate Nature is, by their presence, attuned to life and harmony. Nor do they alone administer to the amusement and luxury of life ; faithful aids as well as messengers of the seasons, they associate round our tenements, and defend the various produc- tions of tlie earth, on which we so much rely for subsistence, from the destructive depredations of myriads of insects, which, but for timely riddance by unmnnbered birds, would be fcil- lowed by a general failure and famine. I'ublic economy and utility, then, no less than humanity, plead for the protection of the feathered race ; and the wanton destruction of birds, so nseful, beautiful, and amusing, if not treated as such by law, ought to be considered as a crime by every inoral, feeling, and reflecting mind. 11(11, ORNITHOLOGY or iiiK UNITliD STATES AND CANADA. bn 1 11(1 of Is, so kuv, au(J I uhiic; length ■\ ;•'■/. In a : '^-'v;-r, 2; whi and jjurplc ; 2. "lis CO 1111 '""li N'orth a •N'ortheastern si'^'n ns far n from some Ic sturnis which \< 'L. r. — ■M TURKEY VULTURE. TURKEY nUZZARI). CaTHARTKS Al-RA. ''iiAR. Brownish black; head bare of feathers and Ijright red; bill ".vliiic; length about 2 feet. ■ Vrs/. In a stump, or cavity among rocks, without additional maici ial. /;';;'.>, 2\ white, or with a tinge of green or yellow, spotted with bruwn ;iiul purple; 2.75 X i-QO. 'I'his common Ttirkey-like Vulture is found abimdantly in both North and Soutli America, but seems wholly to avoid the Northeastern or New England States, a straggler being sehloni seen as far as the latitude of 41°. \\'hether this limit arises from some local antipathy, their dislike of the cold eastern storms which prevail in the spring till the time they usually V(U,. f. — T BIRDS OK PKEV. f breed, or some other cause, it is not easily assignable ; and the foot is still more remarkable, as they have been observed in the interior by Mr. Say as far as I'embino, in the 49th degnc of north latitiule, by Lewis and Clarke near the Falls of iIk Oregon, and they are not uncommon throughout that territory. They are, however, much more abundant in the warmer tliaii in the colder regions, and are found beyond the e(iuator, e\-rii as far or farther than the La Plata. All the West Lidia islan(!> are inhabited by them, as well as the tropical continent, wheri,-. •as in the Southern States of the L^nion, they are commonh protected for their services as scavengers of carrion, whi( h would ])rove highly deleterious in those warm and humid cli- mates. In the winter they generally seek out warmth and shelter, hovering often like grim and boding spectres in the suburbs, and on the roofs and chimneys of the houses, around the cities of the Southern States. A few brave the winters nf IVhiryland, Delaware, and New Jersey, but the greater part migrate south at the approach of cold weather. I'he I'urkey Buzzard has not been known to breed ncjrth ot New Jersey in any of the Atlantic States. Here they seek out the swampy solitudes, and, without forming any nest, de])osit two eggs in the stump of a hollow tree or log, on the mere fragments of rotten wood with which it is ordinarily strewed. Occasionally, in the Southern States, they have been known to make choice of the ruined chimney of a deserted house for this ])urpose. The eggs are larger than those of a Turkey, of a yellowish white, irregularly l)lotchetl with dark brown and blackish spots, chiefly at the larger end. 'I"he male often at- tends while the female is sitting; and if not materially dis- turbed, they will continue to occupy the same place for several years in succession. The young are covered with a whitish down, and, in common with the habit of the oUl birds, will often eject, upon those who hai)pen to molest them, the filthy contents of their stomachs. In the cities of the South they ap|)ear to be somewhat grega- rious, and as if aware of the protection uforded them, jirc- sent themselves often in the streets, and particularly near the -hauibles ,iits ill ' iiu'stic ' K Mllid.St (1 hecse, o iliL;L'.ition, lilt- oppor 11:! themst i-i- of risi uf attacki pi( king 01 (.rara watc ([es('ri])tion even killet they did 11 |Mitri(l seer upon tlesh, .\t night .-eliloni in tunes pass 1 tiu- suburb.^ (le.Mious of ('o\er to issi llie_\- and th^ ohserved pe tecMe rays, warmth dire gaged in act! days, even r TURKEY VULTURE. niv)n who lis. Ircu.i- ^hambles. They also watch the emptying of tlie scavengers' carts in the suburbs, where, in company with tlie still more (iDinestic I5lack \'ultures, they search out their favorite morsels Miiidst ilust, filtli, and rubbish of all descrijjtions. JJils of ! iiccsc, of meat, fish, or anything sufficiently foetid, and easy of (li^estion, is greedily sought aflcr, and eagerly eyed. When the opportunity offers they eat with gluttonous voracity, and iV.I themselves in such a manner as to be sometimes ineapa- b!i- of rising from the gromid. They are accused at times ut" attacking young pigs and lambs, beginning their assault by pii king out the eyes. Mr. Waterton. however, while at 1 )em- erara watched them tor hours together amidst reptiles of all (lescrii)tions. but they never made any attack upon them. He even killed lizards and frogs and put them in their way, but ihev did not appear to notice them until they attained the |iiiiiid scent. So that a more harmless animal, living at all ii[ii>u llesh, is not in existence, than the Turkey \'ulture. At night they roost in the neighboring trees, but, I believe, mIiIoiu in tlocks like the Dlack kind. In winter they some- times pass the night in numl^ers on the roofs of the houses in the subiu-bs of the Southern cities, and appear parti'nilarly desirous of taking advantage c^ the warmth which they dis- cover to issue from the chimneys. Here, when the sun shines, ihe\ and their black relatives, though no wise social, may be uhM.rved perched in these conspicuous ])laces basking in the tceble rays, and stretching out their dark wings to admit the warmth directly to their chilled bodies. And when not en- L;a;.,^;d in acts of necessity, they amuse themselves on fine clear (la\s, even at the coolest season of the year, by soaring, in cumpanies, slowly and majestically into the higher regions of the atmosphere ; rising gently, but ra])idly, in vast spiral circles, ihey sometimes disa])i)ear beyond the thinnest clouds, 'i'liey practise this lofty flight i)articularly before the commencement of thunder-storms, when, elevated above the war of elements, they lloat at ease in the ethereal space with otitsiretched wings, miking no other a])parent effort than the light balloon, only now ami then steadying their sailing pinions as they spread BIRDS OF PREY. them to the fanning breeze, and become abandoned to its accidental sports. In South America, according to Humboldt, they soar even in company with the Condor in his highest flights, rising above the summits of the tropical Andes. Examples of this species still wander occasionally to New Eng- land and to (irand Menan, and in 1S1S7 Mr. Philip Cox reported the capture of two near the mouth of the Miramichi River, on thu CJulf of St. Lawrence, in latitude 47°. It occurs regularly on the St. Clair Flats, in Ontario. The Vultures are not classed as the first of birds by the systc- matists 01 the present day. Now the singing-birds — the Osciiics - - ar:j considered the most highly developed, and of these the Thrush family is given highest rank. The \'ultures are classed as the lowest of the birds of prey ; and this entire order has been moved down below the Swifts and the Woodpeckers. BLACK VULTURE. CARRION CROW. CaTHARISTA AIKAIA. Char. Dull black; head dusky and partially covered above with feathers. Length about 2 feet. Xcst. On the grcHUul screened by bushes, or in a stump. (No attempt is made to build a nest or even to lay a cushiDU for the eggs.) E^i^^^i^s. 1-3 (usually 2) ; bluish white, marked with several shades of brown; 3.10 x 2.05. This smaller, black, and truly gregarious species of Vulturi' in the United States appears to be generally confined to the Southern States, and seems to be most numerous and familiar in the large maritime towns of North and Soutli Carolina, CJeorgia, and Florida. They are also met with in several of the "Western States, and as far up the Ohio as Cincinnati. In the tropical regions of America they are also very common, and extend at least as far as Chili. Like the former species, with which they associate only at meal-times, they are tacitly allowed a public protection for the service they render in rid- ding the earth of carrion and other kinds of filth. They are much m( iiig, duri the feebl niit the becomes seen bas as well a impurity the limbs indolence 'I'heir i Turkey 1 /ontally, 1 vals. At \\\ the cit numbers 1 i'owls, ex order to which ma; \cry regu some of tl the case (having b appeared butchers f( surprised t BLACK VULTURE. 5 the liar na, ()f In )n. much more familiar in the towns than the preceding, delight- ing, (luring winter, to remain on the roofs of houses, catching the feeble rays of the sun, and stretching out their wings to ad- mit the warm air over their foetid bodies. When the weather becomes unusually chilly, or in the mornings, they may be seen basking upon the chimneys in the warm smoke, which, as well as the soot itself, can add no additional darkness or impurity to such filthy and melancholy spectres. Here, or on tlie limbs of some of the larger trees, they remain in listless indolence till aroused by the calls of hunger. Iheir llight is neither so easy nor so graceful as that of the Turkey Ikizzard. They flap their wings and then soar hori- zontally, renewing the motion of their pinions at short inter- vals. At times, however, they rise to considerable elevations. In the cities of Charleston and Savannah they are to be seen in ninnbers walking the streets with all the fomiliarity of domestic i'owls, examining the channels and accumulations of filth in order to glean up the offal or animal matter of any kind which may happen to be thrown out. They appeared to be \ery regular in their attendance around the shambles, and some of them become known by sight. This was particularly the case with an old veteran who hopped upon one foot (having by some accident lost the other), and had regularly appeared round the shambles to claim the bounty of the butchers for about twenty years. In the cotmtry, where I have surprised them feeding in the woods, they appearetl rather shy and timorous, watching my movements alertly like Hawks ; and every now and then one or two of them, as they sat in the high boughs of a neighboring oak, communicated to the rest, as I slowly approached, a low bark of alarm, or wai/i^/i, something like the suppressed growl of a puppy, at which the whole flock by degrees deserted the dead hog uj^on which they happened to be feeding. Sometimes they will collect together about one carcase to the number of two hundred and upwards ; and the object, whatever it may be, is soon robed in living mourning, scarcely anything being visible but a dense mass of these sable scavengers, who may often be 6 BIRDS OF I'RKV. seen jealously contending with each other, both in and out of the carcast", defiled with blood and filth, holding on with their feet, hissing and clawing each other, or tearing off morsels so as to fill their throats nearly to choking, and occasionall) joined by growling dogs, — the whole presenting one of the most sa\-age and disgusting scenes in nature, and truly worth) the internal bird of Prcjmetheus. Tliis species is very rarely seen north of the Carolinas, tiiougli a few examples have been taken in New England and at Grand .Menan. ArDlllOX'S CARAC AKA. CAKACARA KACiI.E. KIX(i Hl/ZARD. I'til.Vr.tiKlS tlllKIW.W. Char. General color brownish black; fore ])art of back and breast l)arrc(l with while ; tail white, with bars of black. I.cnnth 2o\ (025 inches. A^rs/. ( >n a low tree or bush ; niaile of sticks and leaves. /■>;o-. 2-.\ fusiiailv 2) : brownisli white or \)a]c brown, blotched with deeper brown ; 2.30 X t.75. This ver)' remarkable and fine bird was first met with by Mr. Atidubon near St. Augustine, in lOast Idorida. He afterwards also fotmd it on Cialveston Island, in Te.vas. l*'rom its genera! habits and gracefiil, swee])ing ilight, it was for some time mis- taken for a Hawk. Thotigh common in many parts of South America, it is within the limits of the United Stales merely an accidental visitor. It is said, however, to breed in Idorida, in the highest liranches of tall trees in the pincd)arrens, making a rough nest of sticks like a ITawk. In 'I"e\as it breeds, accord- ing to Audubon, in the tops of l)iishes. Since .\uttall wrote, the Caracara has been found in numbers in parts of Florida, and it is not uncommon in Texas, southern Arizona, and Lower California. ,,;P Char. Pre rlark marking;* upper niandibl inches. A'rsf. X1.25, Usua 3-4; Char. Prc\ ;in(l -pots; son- WHITE GYRFALCON. Fai.co islam )IS. Cfiar. Prevailing color white, often immaculate, but usuallv with ilmk markings. Legs partially feathered. A sharp tooth mar jjoint of u|):«tr mandible ; the end of under mandible notched. Length 21 to 24 inclies. X. sf. Usually on a cliff ; roughly made of siii.ks, — large dry twigs. AV-f- 3-4; l^uff or brownish, marked with reddish brown; 2.25 X 1.25. GRAY GYRI AI.CON. Fai.co rustrioi.us. -'if \R. Prevailing color dull gray, with whitish and slaty-blue bands and ~]u)ts; sometimes white prevails; thighs usually barretl 8 BIRDS OF TREY. GYRl'ALCON. Falco rusticolus gvrfalco. Char. Upper parts dull brownish (dusky), with bars of bluish gray, lower parts white, or mostly white marked with dusky ; thighs heavily barred. BLACK GYRFALCON. Falco rusticolus oi5Soi-etus. Char. Prevailing color brownish black; usually barred with lighter tints, but sometimes the bars arc indistinct. This elegant and celebrated Falcon is about two feet in length ; the female two or three inches longer. They particu- larly abound in Iceland, and are found also throughout Siberia, and the North of Europe as far as Greenland; Mr. Hutchins, according to Pennant, saw them commonly about Fort Albany, at Hudson's Bay. Occasionally a pair is also seen in this vicinity in the depth of winter. They brave the coldest cli- mates, for which they have such a predilection as seldom to leave the Arctic regions ; the younger birds are commonly seen in the North of Germany, but very rarely the old, which arc readily distinguished by the superior whiteness of their plumage, which augments with age, and by the increasing narrowness of the transverse stripes that ornament the upper parts of the body. The finest of these Falcons were caught in Iceland b\' means of baited nets. The l)ait was commonly a Ptarmigan, Pigeon, or common Fowl ; and such was the velocity and power of his pounce that he commonly severed the head from the baited bird as nicely as if it had been done by a razor. These birds were reserved for the kings of Denmark, and from thence they were formerly transported into Ger- many, and even Turkey and Persia. The taste for the amuse- ment of falconry was once very prevalent throughout Europe, and continued for several centuries ; but at this titne it has almost wholly subsided. The Tartars, and Asiatics gener- ally, were also e([ually addicted to this amusement. A Sir DUCK HAWK. Thomas Monson, no later than the reign of James the First, is said to have given a thousand pounds for a ( ast of Hawks. Next to the Kagie, this bird is the most formidable, active, and intrepid, and was held in the highest esteem for folconry. It l)oldly attacks the largest of birds ; the Swan, Goose, Stork, ilcron, and Crane are to it easy victims. In its native regions It lives much on the hare and Ptarmigan ; upon these it darts with astonishing velocity, and often seizes its prey by i)ouncing upon it almost peri)endicularly. It breeds in the cold and desert regions where it usually dwells, fixing its nests amidst the most \oity and inaccessible rocks. Nuttall treated the four forms as one, while I follow the A. O. U. in sei)arating them; though I do not think that the present classifi- cation will be retained. The accessible material is very limited, hut it appears to indicate that there is but one species with two, or possibly three, geographical races. The nests and eggs and the habits are similar, the difference being entirely that of plu- mage,— the prevalence of the dark or white color. Tlie White breeds chiefly in North (Greenland and along the bor- ders of the Arctic Ocean ; the (iray breeds in South Greenland ; '.he I51ack is restricted to Labrador; and the habitat oi j^'r/h/co is given as '-interior of Arctic America from Hudsons Bay to Alaska." Specimens of all four have been taken south of latitude 45°, and a few of the Black have been taken, in winter, as far south as southern New England and New York. )V NoTK. — A few examples of the Prahue Falcon {Falco mexi- camis) have accidentally wandered to the prairie districts of lUinois. .nig Sandy River of the Colorado of the West in the month of July. When the young have attained their growth, the parents drive them from their haunts, with incessant ami piercing screams and complaints, — an unnatural propensity which nothing but dire necessity, the difficulty of accpiiring sustenance, can palliate. In strength and temerity the Falcon is not exceeded by any birti of its si/.e. He soars with easy and graceful motions | amidst the clouds or clear azure of the sky; from this lofty elevation he selects his victim from among the larger birds, — (Irouse, Pheasants, Pigeons, Hucks, or (leese. \Vithout bein^ perceived, he swiftly descends, as if falling from the clouds in a i)erpendicular line, and carries terror and destruction into the timid ranks of his prey. Instead of flying before their relentless enemy, the Partridge and Pheasant run and closely hide in the grass, the Pigeons glance aside to avoid the fatal blow which is btit too sure in its aim, and the Water Fowls seek ■m a more c f If the pr 1 Iiraring it f uith Ins iiiDlher t ,'iol)al)ly 1 The Per 'ml I'xcept 1 Xewfoinidl ^ is a wintei kiioun to 1) X Xew lai-la I'eniisylvan i in \l\v Jen *'IIAR. Get the f)lder bird: nid tail streak white ; the mi ■n feiiKdc aboi 111 liri:ist and -V,,.7. Usua lies (if dead trc and leaves. /■:-^s. 3-6; ■ill 11 red and bi I His speci means so ab degrees by ally extendin; rearing its yo ol)ser\ed by .- tained five eg ing. and watc f'Ji-est, and fli( riGEOX HAWK. I I .1 nil in- certain refuge in diving beneath their yielding element. It the prey be not too large, the l-aleon mounts into the air, hraring ii olT in iiis talons, and then alights t(; gorge himself with his booty at leisure. Sometimes he attacks the Kile, mother fellow-plunderer, either in wanton insult, or more iiuhahly to rob him of his (juarry. I'lic I'cregrino is very generally distributed throughout America, hut excei)liiig nii tlie Atlantic coast of Labrador, and jjcssihlv on Xewfoundland. it is nowhere common in this faunal province." It is a winter visitor cliietly in Oliio and southern Ontario, but it is known to breed on isolated clilTs in the .\bu-itinie Provinces and the New bniiland States, and it is said tliat nests have been found in pLiiusylvania and Maryland. The rei^ort of its building in a swamp ill \'cw Jersey has not been conlirmed. oiis PIGEON HAWK. FaLCO COLUMIURIUS. ' 11 \u. Generally the prevailing color, aliovc, is l)lackisli brown, thoiiL;Ii the older l)ircls assnnic a dull tint aiijirnaching bluish gray; wings, back, anil tail streaked and barred with buffv or reddish brown. Tail lipped with white ; liie middle tail-feathers in male with four bands of blackish, and in female about six pale liands. liclow, dull, pale reddish brown, lighter on breast and throat. Length 1 1 to 13 inches. .V,s/. Usually on branches of trees, though found sometimes in cavi- ties of dead trees and on cliffs ; loosely Iniilt of twigs, and lined with grass and leaves. As';'-*'' 3-6; buffy or pale reddish-brown ground color, blotched with (lull red and brown ; 1.30 x 1.55. I'lus species is a little larger than the following, but by no means so abundant ; though met with in latitude forty-eight degrees by Long's Northwestern Kxpcdition, and occasion- ally extending its migrations from Texas to Hudson's l»ay, and rearing its young in the interior of Canada. Its nest was also observed by Audubon in Labrador in the low fir-trees, and con- tained five eggs, laid about the ist of June. It is shy, skulk- ing, and watchful, seldom venturing beyond the unreclaimed forest, and flies rapidly, but, I believe, seldom soars or hovers. 12 IlIRDS Ol' rRKV. Small bin is and mice constitute its princijial food ; and a( ■ cording to Wilson, it follows often in the rear of the gregarious birds, such as the Hlackbirds and Reedbirds, as well as afUT the llitting flocks of I'igeons and Robins, picking up the strai^- glers, the weak and unguarded, as its legitimate prey. Sonn- times, when shot at without effect, it will lly in circles around the gunner and utter impatient shrieks, — probably in ai)pri.- hension for the safety of the mate, or to conununicate a t iv of alarm. The Pigeon Hawk is not a common bird in Massachusetts, tliouLih a few i)airs breed in llic State ; and it has been found in summer in Connecticut, as well as in Illinois and Ohio, though Mcllwraith considers it a migrant only in southern Ontario, It breeds si);ir- ingly in tlie nortliern portions of New England, the Maritime iMov inces of Canada and north to the lower fur countries, and iii winlcr ranties to the Southern States. NoTK. — One example of the European Meuli\ {Faho n\i;iiliis) has been captured off the coast of Greenland. Chak. Ac bl.ul; patch < l>.ir> ; tail t.-xv t.uvnv. Fen tail tawiiv, w: .\:,.-/. 'Usi tiinr^ ill dose brown; 1.33 I'his beai luiiicipally particularly (■corgia, Al the remote nier as far IV. Richarc ' ^'xer, to lor mil TV ■r in aith iUar- I'nn 'inter | AMF.RICAN S^ARR()^V MAWK. FaI.CO SI'AUVI'.RUS. ('iiAK. Adult male : head bluish ash, with ictldish patch ou crown, and bl.nk iKitch on sides and nape; back rufous; \vinj;s bluish and black in b.n> ; tail tawny, with black band, and tipped with white ; below, Iniftish or tawiiv. Female: rufous and bl.ack, more streaked than the male; the tail lawnv, with several blackish bars. Length lo to ii inches. .\',.>7. Usually in cavities of trees, often in Woodpecker's holes, somc- tiiius in deserted nest of a Crow. >'VCV''' 5~7 ; buftish, occasionally white, blotched with dull red and linuvn; 1. 33 X I- 12. This beautiful and singularly marked bird appears to reside principally in the warmer ])arts of the United States. They are particularly abundant in the winter throughout South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, and Florida, whither they assemble from the remote interior of the Northern States, wandering in sum- mer ;is far as the Rocky Mountains, and were even seen by l'"-. Richardson in the remote latitude of 53^; these ap]:)car, i lAcr, to be only stragglers, nor do they seem at all to visit H lilKDS OF l'Ri:V. I 4' the maritime districts of New J'jigland. As they were seen iu St. Domingo, by \eillot, abnndantly in April and May, thu bree(hng-season, we may naturally conclude that this species has a much greater predilection for the warm than the coM climates. ( )n the south side of the ecjuator, even in Cayenne and Paraguay they are still found, in all of which countriL> the\- probably breed. According to the habits of this tribe of rapacious biiiK it api)ears that the nest is built in a hollow, shattered, or decayed tree at a considerable elevation. Its motions ajjpear somewhat capricious ; it occasionally hovers with beating wings, reconnoitring for prey, and soon impatirnll)- darts off to a distance to renew the same ma- ne eu\ re. \n the winter, however, it is most commonly scm perched on some dead branch, or on a ])ole or stalk in the fields, often at a little distance t'rom the ground, keeping up a fre(]uent jerking of tb.e t:i;l, and attentively watching for some suc:h humble game as mice, grassht)ppers, (;r lizards. At this time it is likewise so fimiliar as to enter the garden, urchanl, or premises near to the house, and shows but little alarm iiii being approached. It is, however, by no means deficient m courage, ami, like the larger l''alc()ns, often makes a fatal and rapid sweep upon Sparn)ws or those small birds which are In accustomed prey. Instead of hcinii a mere straiiiiler outside the tlie r lilted States, as Xult; tl wanner portions nf ai.pe ,irs to liave considered tills F con. It is (inite common throiiuhout most ol tlie continent, rind ii"t onlv hreeds m X ew and. l)ut winters tliere. It breed;- alM, tliniU!,diout Canada, north to the lower fur countries, and retires the .Soutliern .States durlni"- the cold weatlier. NoTic. — Tlie Cir.Ax Si'Akkow Hawk {Falco sparverioidc^ has l)cen found in Florida: and two exam])les of the KlcsTKi {Faho iinunciilns^ have been ca]itiire(l on this side of the Atlantii — one off tlic coast of (Greenland, and the otlier at Nantask' Mass.. In iShy. .>;t ' ■% 1 '"ir\R. D.-ir the Imc- ; in til ■ V, /. On ;i lined with iwin ^ /^.- 2-5 ( 1 mure ur less th 1 This ancie f- •ind teinperat Hi^ ;i1k)(1c bv 'Ii^'Mrt. and -i "1 .111 e\tcnsi\ anil Micasion. or on .'ell lie 11 a \\K lih iiii 111 ai-" C.OI.DKX EAC.LE. A(jrii.A (:Hins.\i':iiis. Thar. Dark hnnvn, head and neck tawny brown ; kgs fcathcrt.d to tlu- tMfs; in the vminL;, tail whitisli, witli hioad ttiininal hand of Mack. .\'. ,'. ( )n a tree, sometimes on a liigh clitf; lun-cK luiilt of dry sti(_lire driven forth to lead the same unsocial, wandering life as tluir unfeeling progenitors. This harsh and tyrannical disiiositiou is strongly displayed even when they lead a life of restraint aiiil confinement. The weaker bird is never willingly suffered to eat a single morsel ; and though he may cower and (juail under the blow with the most abject submission, the same sav;iL;c deportment continues towards him as long as he exists. Tho>e wiiich I have seen in confinement freiiuently uttered ho.w-c and stridulous cries, sometimes almost barkings, accompanieil by vaporous breathings, strongly expressive of their anient, unijuenchable, and savage ajipetites. Their fire-darting eye>, lowering brows, flat foreheads, restless disposition, and terrific plaints, together with their powerful natural wea])ons, seem to assimilate them to the tiger rather than the timorous bird. \\i it would a]ii)ear that they may be rendered docile, as the I'ar- tars (according to Marco Polo in 1269) were said to train tins spec other kin of the l''a it> streng three yea: 'I'his bird count of i habits. 'I btaiidard ; wa^ tablet] favorite n: C'-teeni fui tioii-,|y thii I venerated , ' am! the c; head-dresst The Ivig l!a\- than in tile great f from the fr wilderness ; nor obtain a t') the mouil to M'c the !■ it «()uld ;ip[ Stiles, u-hile re.^^ioiis. •li'l".' situatioi ^'"innits he \ deur. A yoi state of df)nu hou-e\cT, bee '" ihe month 'i<-';iil about •Utention, — Were gi\-en to liis meal, and Vol.. I. GOLDEN EAGLE. 17 H-ir aivl ■ to \ mini il< lit. (.>\C-. ■riifu \\\ i" this species to the chase of hares, foxes, wolves, antelopes, and ,>tlKT kinds of large game, in which it displayed all the docility ,ii" the Falcon. 'l"he longevity of the Eagle is as remarkable as ii^ strength ; it is believed to subsist for a century, and is about three years in gaining its complete growth and fixetl plumage. This bird was held in high estimation by the ancients on ac- i;)iiiit uf its extraordinary magnitude, courage, and sanguinary h il.its. The Romans chose it as an emblem for their imperial -t.mdard ; and from its aspiring flight and majestic soaring it \\\i> fabletl to hold communication with heaven and to be the tmniie messenger of Jove. The Tartars have a particular i-ieem for the feathers of the tail, with which they supersti- tioiisly think to plume invincible arrows. It is no less the vtiKiated ll'iir-Eai^/c of our Northern and Western aborigines; ail 1 the caudal feathers are extremely valued for talismanic he iil-dresscs and as sacred decorations for the I'ipe of Peace. Tile I'^agle appears to be more abiuidant around Hudson's llav tlian in the United States; but they are not unfrequent in the ^reat ])lains of the Mississijipi and Missouri, as appears t'mm the frequent use of the feathers by the natives. The wiMerness seems their favorite resort, and they neither crave iKir (il)tain any advantage from the society of man. Attached to the mountains in which they are bred, it is a rare occurrence to see the ICagle in this vicinity ; and, as with some other birds, it would appear that the young only are fotind in the Tnited States, while the old remain in I-abrador and the northern reuioiis. The lofty mountains of New IIami)shire afford suit- ahle situations for the eyry of the Ivagle, over whose snow-clad siiiiiiiiits he is seen majestically soaring in solitude and gran- deur. A young bird from this region, wliicli I have seen in a state (if domesti'.aiion, showed considerable docility. He liad, hdwever, lieen brought up from the nest, in which he was found in the month of Augtist ; he appeared even playful, turning his Iie;i(l about in a very antic manner, as if desirous to attra<~t attention, — still, his glance was cpiick and fiery. When birds Weir gi\en to him, he plumeil them very clean before he began his meal, and picked the subject to a perfect skeleton. \OI.. 1. 2 1 8 BIRDS OF I'REV. 'Hie ferocious and savage nature of the Eagle, in an unn- clainied state, is sometimes displayed in a remarkable manner. A peasant attempted to rob an eyry of this bird situated at the Lake of Killarney : for this purpose he stripped and swam o\ cr to the s])ot in the absence of the old birds; but uii iiis return, while yet up to the chin in water, the parents arrived, and missing their young, instantly fell on the unfortunate plundcnr and killed him on the spot. There are several well-authenticated instances of their carry- ing off children to their nests. In 1737, in the parish of Norderhougs, in Norway, a boy over two years old, on his w ly from the cottage to his parents, at work in the fields at no grrat distance, fell into the i)()unce of an Ivagle, who flew off with the child in their sight, and was seen no more. Anderson, in his history of Iceland, says that in that island children of fonr or five years of age have occasionally been borne away liy Eagles ; and Ray relates that in one of the Orkneys a child of a year old was seized in the talons of this feroc:ious bird niid carried about four miles to its nest, but the mother, knowing the ]-)lace of the eyry, followed the bird, and recovered her child yet unhurt. The Common, or Ring-tailed Eagle, is now found to be the young of the Clolden I',agle. These progressive changes have been observed by Tcmminck on two living subjects which lie kept for several years. The Golden Eagle is generally considered to he a rare bird in New England and Canada, and, indeed, throughout the settled dis- tricts L'VL'r\ where : tliovgh examples have been taken the continent over, from (Jrccnland to Mexico, and west to the I'acitic. -.1 '■"AR. Adi i.^iil white afte \'"i!ii.t,': clarke cniiiniii- featlie I'^"gth3o tc ami arc very si •ire cisily distil •^ -'A On a '■'"''^ "II a cliff "Ki! stems anc aliiiin^r. a;..v. 3-3; (11.^- Iiunt BALD EAGLK. WASHINGTON EAGLE. HALIiEETUS LKUCOCl'.l'l I.\! ,US. • iiAR. Adult: blackish brown, paler on niar,L;in oston, h;ul in his possession one of these fine, docile Eagles for a consid- erable time; but desirous of devoting it to the then Linnnean Museum, he attempted to poison it by corrosive sublimate of mercury : several times, however, doses even of two drams were given to it, concealed in fish, without producing any inju- rious effect on its health. The Washington Eagle, bold and vigorous, disdains the piratical habits of the Bald Eagle, and invariably obtains his own sus describe headed ijft.'ie w in circuj: i'i>h. on 1 yards. '^ tion to a 1 he quai L;iv;it, ac( ill confin aiul one J rhiladelp Pic leering fcrence it exceeding as that 01 wiiith, ho\ nearly wit 'i'he male seldom nil That th ciV/u), or oils from hc'mg little less even 1 ton Eagle which will 1 whole Eag obtained fn examined n a suspicion exists also described b from the po of the wings BAI.n EAGLE. 21 own sustenance without molesting the Osprcy. The circles he (Ifscril)es in his fliglit are wider than those of the White- jicadnl ]-;agle ; he also flies nearer to the land or the surflvce of the water; and when about to dive for his prey, he descends in t irruitous, spiral rounds, as if to check the retreat of the h>h. on which he darts only when within the distance of a few yards. When his prey is obtained, he flies out at a low eleva- tion to a considerable distance to enjoy his repast at leisure. I iie ([uantity of food consumed by this enormous bird is very great, according to the account of those who have had them in confinement. Mr. Audubon's male bird weighed fourteen ami one half pounds avoirdupois. One in a small museum in rhiladelphia (according to the account of my friend Mr. C. Piclicring), also a male, weighed much more, — by which dif- ference it would appear that they are capable of becoming exceedingly fat ; for the length of this bird was about the same as that of Audubon, — three feet six or seven inches. The width, however, was only about seven feet, — agreeing pretty nearly with a specimen now in the New ICngland Musemn. The male of the Oolden I'>agle, the largest hitherto known, is seldom more than three feet long. That this bird is not the White-tailed I'lagle {Falco albi- cilla), or its young, the Sea JOagle (/''. ossifragiis), is obvi- ous from the difference in size alone, the male of that bird being little over two feet four inches in length, or a little less even than the Bald l'>agle. The female of the Washing- ton Kagle must, of course, be six or eigiit inches longer, — which will give a bird of unparalleled magnitude amongst the whole Eagle race. Tiiis measurement of the Sea Eagle is obtained from Temminck's " Manual of Ornithology," who has examined more than fifty individuals. At the same time I have a suspicion that the Washington Eagle, notwithstanding this, exists also in Fuirope ; as the rrrraf Sea Eagle of l>risson is described by this author as being three feet six inches in length from the point of the bill to the end of the tail, and the stretch ol" the wings about seven feet I These measurtjments also are adopted by Buffon ; but the individuals were evidently in young 22 BIRDS OF PREV. ])luiTiage, in which state, as described by llrisson, they again approach the present species. Nor need it be considered as surprising if two different s[)ecies be confoundeil in the Sea ICagle of I'Airope, as the recently established Imperial Kagl'j had ever been confounded with the Golden. Another distin- guishing trait of the Washingt(jn i'^agle is in the length of tiK- tail, which is one and one half inches longer than the folded wings. In the White-tailed species this part never extends beyond the wings. Tlw White-headed or Bald Eai;;h\ — This noble and daring Eagle is found along the sea-coasts, lakes, and rivers through- out the northern regions, being met with in Asia, Europe, and America, where they extend to the shores of the Pacific, and as far as the confines of California. In Behring's Isle, Mack- enzie's River, and (Ireenland, they are not uncommon. I>ut while they are confined in the Old World to this cheerless re- gion so constantly that only hvo instances are known of their appearance in the centre of Europe, in the United States they are most abundant in the milder latitudes, residing, breeding, and rearing their young in all the intermediate space from Nova Scotia or Labrador to the shores of the (iulf of Mexico, 'i'he rocky coast of this part of New l-'ngland (Massachusetts) is, however, seldom tenanted by this species, though they are occasionally seen in the spring and about the commencement of winter. In the United States it is certain that they show a decided predilection for the milder climates. It is probable that in luiro])e they are deterred in their migrations by the tyrannical persecution of the White-tailed Eagle {F. a//>iei7/a), which abounds in that country, living also principally on fish, and therefore selecting the same maritime situations as our Eagle. In the United States he sways almost without control the whole coast of the Atlantic, and has rendered the rival Osprey his humble tributary, proscribing, in his turn, the ap- pearance of the Sea Eagle, which, if it exist at all with us, is equally as rare as the present species appears to be in lOurope. Though on Behring's Isle the Bald Eagle is said to nest oii S cliils, as I iiitcd |iiiic or [\xv. laid ti'ps, ani 1(1 llic lu [111-, aluu) (lull whiti an iuterv; fcrrnl I'C otlcu as t( who^c wai InTrding-i p.iiiTi! as t(i |urticul hcL'ii dciiK It. tliey ha mj, one. in tile nest taiion at all the savage. The hel] great atten and other ttcr, produ young are a hrconie gra year, when conies perf( young are n time after timorous, w (-■vrn bristle tencc. The . ^ .A^ (;r.\v ska i:.\(;le. WHITE-T.MLED EAGLE. H.VLLKKTUS ALBICILLA. TiiAK. General color, grayish-brown (paler on margin of feather-); head and neck gray, — jKiler in old liirds ; tail white; legs l)aie. Length : male, t^t^ inches; finialc, 3S inches. .\'(.>7. In a tree or on a rock, sometimes on the ground ; made of dry sticks loosely arranged and often piled to consiilerabie height. /s;;;;',>-. 1-3 (usually 2); dull white; 2.S5 X -.25. Mr. llageriip reports that this European bird breeds in southmi Greenland and is cputc common there. It feeds principally on lisli. but will eat any kind of meat or carrion, being particularlv partial to water fowl, and is much more enterprising than is its congein r. the Bald Eagle. C'y- C'li.vK. Above, Mdeof the head; "■'"i white ; uncu'i "'"'111 own. FcL lAimth 2r to 25 ir ■^' '• Of loose (lead lice is sclcct( Ac;"-. 2 to 4 ; , col '"■ geiicrallv wl brown of V anous s Ills foiim large am "^■ar fresh ami:rican osi'ri:y. FISII HAWK. Pa\T>!0\ HAF.IAK'JUS CAROI.IXKXSIS. f'liAR. Above, dark brown; Iiead and neck white, with dark stripe on >i(!e ct tiic head ; tail f,Mayi.sh, with several narrow dark bars, and tipi)ed wiih white; under-parts wliite or biittisli, sometimes (in female) streaked nitli liiiiwn. Feet and claws large and strung. Hook of the liili long. hi-iiLitli 21 to 25 inches. .\' .'. Of loosely arranged sticks on top of high tree, — generally a dead lice is selected; usually near water. /.'c.,'>. 2 to 4 ; variable in shape, color, size, and markings; ground ii>l(,i ;_;(.ncrally whitish, with yellow or red tint, blotched with reddish bruwii lu' various shades. Size about 2.50 X 1.75. This large and well-known species, allied to the Eagles, is found near fresh and salt water in almost every country in the WB!SBS!^Bf9. 28 15IRDS OF TREV. worUl. In summer it wanders into the Arctic regions of l'luro]ie, Asia, ami AnK"-ica ; it is also e([uall}' jnevalent in the milder parts of both continents, as in Cireece and I^uypt. In America it is found in the summer from Labrador, and the interior around Hudson's Hay, to Florida; and according tu lUirfon, it extends its residence to the tropical regions of Cayenne. Its food being almost uniformly fish, it readily acquires siil)- sistence as long as the \vaters remain unfrozen; but at the commencement of cool weathei, ( ven as (.'arly as the closr of Srptember. or at farthest the middle o/ C.lwbcr, these bird:, leave New \'ork and New Jersey and go farther south. 'I hi-, early ])eri'jd of departure is, in all probability, like their arrival towards the close of March, wholly regulated by the coniin:; and going of the shoals of fish on which they are accustoincil to feed. Towards the close of March or beginning of April | they arrive in the vicinity of Boston with the first sho;il of alewives or herrings ; but yet are seldom known to breed along the coast of Massachusetts. 'I'heir arrival in the spiing is wel- comed by the fisherman as the sure indication of the appro.uh of those shoals of shad, herring, and other kinds of fish which now l)eg;n to throng ♦^he bays, inlets, and rivers near the ocean; and the abundance with which the waters teem affords ample sustenance for both the aerial and terrestrial fishers, as i ' ii pursues in peace his favorite and neiessary employment. In short, the harmless industry of the Osprey, the familiarity with which he rears iiis young anjund the farm, his unexijci le! neutrality towards all the domestic animals near him, his suh- limely pictures(}ue llight and remarkable employment, with tin strong affection displayed towards his constant mate and lorn: heljijless young, and the wrongs he hourl\- suffers from the pirate ICagle, are circimistances sufficiently calculated, wi'.hont the aid of ready superstitie)n, to ensure the ]»ublic favor anil tolerance towards this welcome visitor. I)ri\en to no liar.-h );u- 'Kie, necessities, like his superiors the Ivigles, he leads a com] atively harmless life ; and though unjustly dot)med to servi his address and industry raise him greatlv al)ove his opjir^ -^i.'. so that he sujiplies himself ami his young with a plciuifiil --ibitenance uIm) soniet IiUe-nt o and jirocee (■a-^\■ aii'l w jiarciuly \vi see-Ill >;arce to two hiinc dee]). Sud with ])i'atin_< wil_\' victim li\' a dodgiii whir!) h: v,oi not ijis.'oura the hi:,her re expaiise. } f like ; falling :ng noise anc with the stn tVoin his fe-at! heating in the The fish whic '■i;^ht pounds ; "t" his talons t i- too large, 1 buth |].-,h and i'roin the n; reinlered exce .-^■iHTally takei "''I'rey someti: 'I tiino, quie'th Unlike othe Milered gregari '"? t(. Mr. Oar '!<-• i> sided, nt <_>■ ^- Vark), , ^' i-Hii oi orve i -e.-:i il;,.,^^ AMEKKAN USPREV 29 sustenance. His docility and adroitness in catching fish have :il^() ximctimcs been employed by man for his advantage. Intriit on exi)loring the sea for his food, he leaves the nest and piDceeds dirccily {o the scene of action, sailing round in i:isy and wide circles, and turning at times as on a pivot, ap- n.iniulv without exertion, while his long and curving wings SLCin >; arcely in motion. At the height of from one hundred to twc hundred feet he continues to survey the bosom of the (hip. Suddenly he checks his course and hovers in the air with beating pinions ; he then descen->i(led. near to che eastern extremitv nf Long Island "^ "■ V>rk),n() less than three htmdred nests with voting, n r\ erved twenty of their nests within hialf a mile. I •'. il "ni nea'-lv as thick about Rehobotii llav in Dela- 30 BIRDS OF I'REY. ware. Here they live together at least as ])eaceably as ruuk> : and so harmless are they considered by other birds that, ac- cording to Wilson, the Crow Blackbirds, or (Irakles, are some- times allowetl refuge by the Ospreys, and construct their nrsts in tlie very interstices of their eyry. It would appear scjuk- times that, as with Swallows, a general assistance is given in the constructing of a new nest ; for jjrevious to this event, a flock have been seen to assemble in the same tree, squealing as is their custom when anything materially agitates them. At times they are also seen engaged in social gaml)()ls high in thu air, making loud vociferations, suddenly darling down, and then sailing in circles ; and these innocent recreations, like niiiiv other unmeaning things, are construed into i)rognostications u! stormy or changing weather. Their common friendly call ii ,i kind of shrill whistle, ^p]ic7o, '///rri', 'plu-c', rcijeated five or >i\ times, and somewliat similar to the tcjne of a fife. Thoi:::!! social, they are sometimes seen to combat in the air, instig;iki: probably more by jealousy than a love of rapine, as their food is always obtained from an unfailing source. Marly in May the Osjjrey commences laying, and has from two to four eggs. They are a little larger than those of tin. Common [''owl, and are from a reddish or yellowish cream-color to nearly white, marked with large blotches and points ol reddish brown. During the period of incubation the male frc(|uent]y supi)lies his mate with food, and she leaves her eggs for very short intervals. The young appear about the last of June, and are nio-t assiduously attended and sup])lied. ( )n the approach of am jierson towards the nest, the parent utters a peculiar plaintive, whistling note, which increases as it takes to wing, sai 'n,' round, and at times making a (juick descent, as if aimiii;' at the intruder, but sweeping ])ast at a short distance. On the nest being invaded, either while containing eggs » yoi im, the male dis])lays great courage and makes a violent ami dangerous o]>position. The young remain a long time in the nest, so that the old are some'imes obliged to thrust the'iii out and encourage them to fly ; but they still, for a p'-riod, ' on- linue to feed them in the air. (■'HAK. Abe ncaih I he surf Imik!^ , below, veivfiifTL-rciit; with while and "iih hiMwn. L ■^''>t In a ti 3-4; f 'ic foreigi ncs of Hawk 'K'nlv/rn j)art t^'Hils into Chi '''<•■ i.iiroj)ean l''i'V'i!lv at th( ' ^ . I recei' |11UI-1 any litivo, \\\m h;: at the 1)111.. iml ihc I'm i AMERICAN C.OSHAWK. nr.uK HEX HAWK. ACCIPIIER ATRRAI'ir.I.US. ('ii\i;. Aliove, dark bliiisli prav ; lop of head l)lack, the feathers be- neath the surface wliite ; wliite strii)C over the eye : tail witli four dirk hand-; hehiw, white l^arred atul streaked with narrow d.irk lines. Voiin.u vcrv different ; al)ovc, brown, edi^es of fe.uher> Imttish ; tail lighter, tipped with white and crossed by four or live dark l)ands; below, bullish, streaked with hi own. Lciii^lh 22 to 24 inches. .\; /' In a tree ; made of twii:;s. /■-...;<■ .3-4; bluish white, with buffer reddish brown markings ; 230 ■' 1-7 5- The foreign representative of this elegnnt and sjiiritcd spe- cies of Hawk ajijiears to ])e common in I'rance, Ciermany, the norihrrn parts of (Ireat llrilain, Riis?,ia. and Sil)eria, ami e.\- trr.ils into Chinese 'Jartary. Our si)e(ics, so nearly related to the Kiiropean bird, is very rate, miirratin.u; to tlie South a])- paremly at the ai)])roac bird^) v,-erc caught in nets baited with live Pigeons, and reduced to obedience by the same system of i)rivation and discii)lini' as the Falcon. A pair of (loshawks were ke])t for a long time in a cage h\ Uuffon ; he remarks that the female was at least a third larmr than the male, and the wings, when closed, did not reuh within six inches of the end of the tail. The male, though smaller, was much more fierce and untnmable. '^Hiey often fought with their claws, but seldom used tlie bill for anv otl.ei ])urpose than tearing their food. If this consisted of IjIiiIn they were plucked as neatly as by the hand of the poulterer; but mice were swallowed whole, and the hair and skin, .iml other indigestible ])arts, after the manner of the genus, were discharged from the mouth rolled up in little balls. Its cry was raucous, and terminated by sharp, reiterated, pien in:: notes, the more disagreeable tlie oftener they were repcat-d: and the cage could never be ap]irGached without exciiin:; violent gestures and screams. Though of different sexes, ami conhned to the same cage, they contracted no friendshi]' for each other which might soothe their imjjrisonment, and lin Hy. 1') em I th n^c ami iii^h!, w) rej)i)ie. h iwk, left lit the wh iiii' e, iiiol .1 cannibal eit their ov The ( Jos suppo.sjd : i.'icos of Ca dmv.v^ the i apjiareiUly 1 south to Ma Its usual countries : tl •\'e\v i'jii^lai iii'ii^ed birds yoiin;^er i)rt yoiiii;;- of se\ 'I'iiere are from the farn — .Old for goc fh'i;ht that^■s hines a spirit ■ind cunning t 0!ie swoop in L'arr\ off a 1ki fli-lit. vol.. I. — C;OSIIA\VK. 1 T ■^ lo end the dismal picture, the female, in a fit ;^f indiscriminate y.\j.c and violence, murdered her mate ir. the silence of the ni"ht, when all the oiher feathered race were wrajipcd in r(j)()-ie. Indeed, their dispositions are so furious that ados- h iwk, left with any other Falcons, soon effects the destruction of ihc whole. Their ordinary food is young rabbits, sijuirrcls, ini' e, moles, young (Jeese, Pigeons, and small birds, and. with a iannil)al appetite, they sometimes even prey upon the young of their own species. 'lliL- (losliawk is not so rare in America a.s tlie older naturalists .siiji|H).sjc! : indeed, it is quite a common bird in the maritime I'rov- iai rr. of Canada and in northern Xew England, where it is iDiuul (liiniiL,^ the entire year. I' occurs also west to Manitoba ithougli aiipaixntiy rare in the Lake .Superior region), antl ranges, in winter, south to .Maryland, Kentucky, and Ohio. \[> usual breeding area is from aI)out latitude 45^ to the fur cni;iiiiii.s : though a few pairs probal)ly build every year in soutliern New bngland. So few, comparatively, of tiie older and full-plu- m,iL;i.il birds are seen that the species is not well known, the vovinger i)rown birds being almost inilistinguishable from the voim X of several other Hawks. 'I'ltcre are several species that receive tiie name of ■• Hen Tbiwk " from tiie farmer; but none is so much dreaded as the " bhie Hawk.'" — and for good reason. With a boldness, strength, and dexteritv of flight that is rivalled only by the Peregrine, the (losiiawk com- hiius a spirit of enterprise worthy of the Osprev, and a ferocity and ciinniiig that are unmatched by any of the tribe. I have seen one swoop into a farmyard while the fowls were being fed, and canv off a half-grown chick without any jjerccptible pause in the tii-hl. vol.. I. 1 '.TN^'^vVV; #^^ f I .^:- ;;'/<,■>■• ,.v,v »Tol,\ " >.-,'. ■■■'". •v'.--.>'i COOPER'S HAWK. Acni'lTKR C(K~)PKRI, Char. Adult bluish gray or almost bluish ash, head darker; beluw, whitish, breast and belly thickly streaked with reddi^li brown, sides uiih a bluish tinge ; wings and tail barred with dark brown, tail lipped with white. Length about ifi inches (female 2 to 3 inches longer). At'st. In a tree, near the trunk ; made of twigs, lined with grass. ^.^\<^- 3-4; bluish white spotted with reddisli brown (sometimes im- maculate) ; 1.90 X 1.50. This fine species of Hawk is found in ronsideralile numbers in tlio Middle States, particularly N'-w \'()rk and New Jcrsi y, in tlie autumn and at the approac h of winter. It is '!m> seen in the Oregon territory to the shores of the Pacific. It^ food ajipears ]")rinci]iallv to he birds of variotis kinds; fr mi the Sparrow to the Ruffed ( '/rouse, all contribute to its ra'.i.i cious ajipetite. I have also seen this species as far south ;b the capital of Alabama, and, in comnif)!! with the precedini.'. its depredations amoni^r the domestic fowls are very destruct \c. Mr. Cooper informs me that the plumage of the adult 11 iK bears the same analoc;y to the adult of F. fi/sci/s as the yuMii' of that species does to the present, exceptint,' that the ni nb tmts arc :, (jr e\ Cod] II' ica Irom .djunciaiit .Middle .S ] I IS c.i ' ll.AK. '■■opur's 1 1, I''!' of" die I "I iii.iic aboi Xt'st. In '•15 < I-I5. ■|his bol Ii.ihits and amusement ft-^luon, iiiw quinary and air.s. \\'i siiaki'-siii.\m;i) hawk. 35 tints arc paler. The dilTurcncc in si/.e between the two is as 2, or even 3, to i. ('()()])(.r's Hawk is generally distributed throughout North Amcr- ica ironi liie tur countries t(j Mexico (in wiiUen. th(.ugii most .ihimdant in tiie .>>outlicrn portions of New England and in tl.e .\b(ldle States. It IS called '• Ciiickcn Hawk " bv the Norlliern farmers. ith Icrs sh.\kp-shinnt:i) hawk. A( I ii-n 1 k \i,i < i\. ('iiAK. The adult m;iv I>e lie-t de-t 1 lied as a small edition of (iiptr's Hawk, which it leseniljles in almost evervthing but si/e. The 1 i]- 111" the head is bluish, and the cheeks have a letldish tinge. Length lit male about 1 1 inches ; female >'jine 2 inches lon;4rr. X,-sf. In a tree ; maile of twig-, and lined with leaves and grass. /•;->. 3-5; bluish white or greenish white blotched with brown; 1.13 X 1. 15. 1 his bold and daring species ])ossesses all the courageous habits and temerity of the true h'alcon : and if the princelv aniMsenient to which these birds were devoted was now in fashion, few species of the genus would br found uKjre san- guinary and ])ugnacious than the present. i'lie young bin! is (lesi ribed by I'ennant under the name of the i)id)ious l-'alcoii, and lie remarks its affinity to the lairopean .^jjarrow Hawk. It is, however, somewhat less, ilifferentlx- marked on the head, and much more broadlv and faintly barred below. 'J'he nest of our species, according to Audubon, is made in a tree, and the cl;i,'^ are four or five, gravish white, blotched with dark brown ; they lay about the beginning to tlie middk if March. 'I'he true .Sparrow Hawk shows considerable doc ilit\, is easily trained to Imnt Partridges and (Juails, and makes great deslriK tion among Pigeons, }<-)img poiUtry, and small birds of .ill kinds. In the winter the\- migrate from laimpe into llarbary and tiriece, and arc seen in great nundjerM out at sea, making such ha\oe among the birds of passage the\ ha[ipen to meet in their way that the sailors in the }dedilerranean call them forsairs. Wilson observed the female of our species descend I'.iRDs OF rKi;v upon its prey with i^rcat vcloiity in ;i sort of zig-zag potnicc, after tiic manner of tiic (ioshawk. I )cs.(\v England and the settled portions oi Canada. In winter it ranges south to Panama. I CftAR. G( lit-'', darker 01 /V,./. On I his rem; appe.ir to e in the sumiv a great elev; ''"/'•irds in tl tiu\ were s(j ""■^■'I'ing aio M\-,'Mn^.,l at N'^' les prettv •'Tl "uments. '^ '--^ rarelv sec MISSISSIl'I'I KI'li:. BLUE KITE. IciiNA Mississipi'ir.xsis. Char. General color bhiish-gray, lighter on the head and scconda- rit^, darker on i)riniaries and tail. Length, 13 in le^'i inclies. A'rs/. On a tree , of small sticks, lined with inf)ss and leaves. £;;j. 2-3; bluish white ; size variable, averaging 1.65 X 1.35. This remarkably long-\vinij;e(l and beautiful Hawk does not a|i| t ir to extend its migrations far within the I'nited States. W iKuii observed it rather ])lentiful about and below Xatchez in the siminier season, sailing in easy cireles. sometimes at a great elevation, so as to kee]) eonipany with the 'i'urkey iln//;u"ds in the most elevated regions of the air : at other times lh(.y were seen among the lofty fcjrest trees, like Swallows s\vc(i)iiig along, and collecting the locusts { C/\;n/n) which swarmed at this season. My frieml Mr. S;iy observed this sl)ei ies pretty far tip the Mississi])pi, at one of Major Long's can onmcnts. lUit excei)t on the banks of this great river, it is rarelv seen even in the most southern States. Its food. i 38 IIIRDS ."I' ruKv no i.iicikrs. ('liAR. General color ])hiisli gray fading to white on head and tail ; a lari;c jKUch of lilack on shoulder; lower parts white. Length 15 to lo-.^' inches. A'c's/. In a tree, lonsely l)iiiit of sticks and leaves. £,^,i;s. 2-4; iliill white, heavily blotched with brown, 1.60 x ••25. This beautiful Hawk, scarcely (bstinguishable from a secoinl African si)ecies of this section, chiefly inhabits the contiui iit of South America as far as Paraguay. In the L'nited State- it is only seen occasionally in the peninsula of I'last I''lorida, cfii- fming its visits almost to the southern extremity of the Union, It appears to be very shy and difficult of approach ; llying in easy circles at a moderate elewuion, or at times seated on liie "leadened branches of the majestic live-oak, it attentis ly watches the borders of the salt-marshes and watery situatii ns ■ : [nr the 1 ijipr-iacli litter a s ijf bird 1)111,1(1 aiK \ p.iir Ii.i lllMlllll (if ■jliis k SMiiih C.i Illinois. '■|r.\K. I( l.lli ilrepiv to .r,V. fnr /:',,.<■. 2-3 III Iiiiiu-n ; i.,^ This i)ea wanner par tlcnt in all t s'HUhern as .'11 cording ti ■V^''-; nnd !^|iccics as 1 .vi'l. Icinpte( Mi-H's>,i[)],j_ fii- ;!s the J laiitiide. In c\iii found 1 lliiiain. I'iicse K'lU A;iril or In.^j swAi.i.ow-i Aii.i.D Kiri: yj iMf till' riLlil-mi(i' of that country, or unwary Sparrows, that i]i|iriia( h il-^ iK'rr llio bird of Africa and India is said to laiiT a sharp and picrciiii; < ly, which is often n'pcated while I'l!' hinl moves in the air. It builds, m the forks of trees, a l)i(Mil and shallow nest, lined internally with moss and feathers. \ ii.ur have been known to bri'cd oii the Santee Ri\er in the iiiuuih of Marcli, accordinj; to Audubon. This Kite occurs rcjjularly in tin; Snudu'rn States, north to Sniiih Cai'olina. and .Mr. I\i(l^\vay lias met with it in southnii lllmois. It e.xtciul.s its range westward to California. lit it II- n. swAid.ow-TAii.Fd) Kiri:. FOKK-lAII.F.l) KITE. I'',i,.\\()ii)Ks roKi-icvrfs. ('ir.\K. Head, neck, nniiji. and lower parts wiiite, otiicr parts lilack ; tail (keply forked. I.L'ii^tli k/j to 2^^]^ inclics. ,\i.>7. In a trie . of sticks and moss, lined with gra^s ami leaves. /■.' ,y. 2-3 : white, with iiuff or green tinL;e, spotted with various shades iifliiown ; 1.S5 X 1.50 This i)eatitiful Kite breeds and passes the sunmier in the wanner parts of the United States, and is also probal)ly resi- iKiit in all tro])ical and temperate .Xnierica, mi^ratinLj into the soiuhern as well as the northern heinis])here. In the former. ar( ordinti: to Mellot, it is found in I'erti and as fir as lluenos Ami ■> : and thoti,Li;h it is extremelv rare to meet with this s|ir( ios as far as the latitude of 40° in tin' Atlantic States, Vet. teni])ted by the abundance of the fruillul valley of the .Mi--w-.ip])i, individuals have been seen aloiiu' that river as fir as the Ivdls of St. Anthony, in the 44th de,ij;ree of north latitude. Indeed, according to Ideming two stragglers ha\e even tbiiiid their devious way to the strange ( limale of (Ireat biil liii. T!;r:.e Kites ap[)ear in the United Stales about the (lose of A;)iil or beginning of May, and are very numerous \\\ the Mis- IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) // I <^' m. i!v (listinguisiied from any -Uher Hawk by the feathered shank. Length iij'> to 22 inches. .\', .' In a large tree, or on rocks ; of sticks lined with grass, drv muss, and feathers. /■\\y. 2-3; white or crcamv, more or less spotted with brown; 190 X155. This remarkable species of Pjuzzard a])])ears to take up its lesiiKiice chiefly in tlie northern and western wihls of America. .My iViend Mr. 'I'ownsend fomid its nest on the l)anks of Hear River, west of the Rocky Mountains. The nest, formed of laru'i- sticks, was in a thick willcnv bnsli r.bout ten feet from the i:round, and contained two younij almost lled.ued. It is 42 151 RDS OF PREY said to lay four egys, clouded with reddish. It is coninmn also to the north of Murope, if not to Africa. The usual station of these birds is on the outskirts of woods, in the neighborhood of marshes, — situations suited for supjilying them with tiuir usual humble prey of frogs, mice, reptiles, and straggling birds. for which they patiently watch for hours together, from daybreak to late twilight. When i)rey is perceived, the bird takes a cau- tious, slow, circuitous course near the surface, and sweeping owr the spot where the object of pursuit is lurking, he instanih- grapples it, and flies off to consume it at leisure. Occasionallv they feed on crabs and shell-fish. The inclement winters of the high northern regions, where they are usually bred, failing to afford them food, they are under the necessity of making a slow migration towards those countries which are less severe. According to Wilson, no less than from twenty to thirty young individuals of this species continued regularly to take up tin ir winter (|uarters in the low meadows behnv Philadelphia. 'Ilicy are never ol)served to soar, and when disturbed, utter a loml, squealing note, and only ])ass from one neighboring tree to another. The great variation in (he plumage of this Hawk has been t!ic cause of consideral)le controversy. Wilson wrote of the black ami the brown phases as of two species, giving ihcni distinct habits. Xuttall. following Audubon, considered the chan^'es from light tu dark due only to age. Spencer Baird (in 1N5S), Cassin, and I)r Brewer agreed with Wilson. Later authorities, however, with more material to aid them, have pronounced both views incornct. and have decided that there is but one species, — that the black is but a melanistic phase. Our systematists now separate the Ann ri can from the Kuropean form, giving to the former varietal r.mk. as its ■•trinomial appellation" denotes. Xuttall does not mention the occurrence of this bird in Massa- chusetts, though Dr. Brewer states that at one time it was alum- dant near Boston, and within more recent vears numbers have luin cai)tured by Mr. K. O. Damon on the Holyoke Hills, near Si)r:';^- field. It occurs withiti the United States i)rincipallv as a wiiiicr visitor, its chief breeding-ground lying in the Labrador and Hud-on Bay district. RED-SHOULr)i:Ri:i) HAWK. WIXTEK MAWK. IjUTko lini.ahs. riiAR. Adult : general color dark reddish hrowti ; head and neck ru- U>u> . hclow, ligiiter, with dark streaks and li,nht bars; winj^s and tail bl.uk with white bars ; lesser wing-covcrts chestnut. Voung, with bttle of tiif rufous tinge, below, buffy with dark streaks. Length 19 to 22 inclus .\' .'. In a tree; of loosely arranged twigs, lined with grass and feathers. £,\>. 2-4 : bluish white or bulTy blotched with brown , 2.20 X 1.70. This very elegant Hawk does not migrate or inhabit very fartu the north. It is never seen in .Massachusetts, nor per- haps nmch farther than the State of Pennsylvania. In the Snuthi'ni States, during winter, these birds are very coninion in swaniiiy situations, where their quailing cry of mtitiial recogni- tion inav be heard from the dei;ths of the tlark forest almost 44 lURDS OF TREV. every niorniiif,' uf the season. 'I'his ])laintive echoing nttc resembles somewhat the gamiluus complaint of the Jay, kic'o, kei-oo, ki'i'-od, continued with but Utile intermission sometimes for near twenty minutes. At length it becomes loud and iin- patient ; but on being distantly answered by the mate, tlic sound softens and becomes plaintive like kcc-oo. This mcjrn- ing call is uttered most loudly and incessantly by the malf, iiKpiiring for his adventurous mate, whom the uncertain result of the chase has perhaps separated frtJin him for the night. As this species is noways shy, and very easily approached, I ha\e had the opportunity of studying it closely. At length. but in no haste, I observed the female approach and take her station on the same lofty, decayed limb with her companion, who. grateful for this attention, i)lumed the feathers of his mate with all the assiduous fondness of a Dove. Intent upon her meal, however, she soon llew off to a distance, while the male still remained on his perch, dressing up his beatuifiil feathers for near half an hour, often shaking his tail, like some of the lesser birds, and occasionally taking an indifferent sur- vey of the hosts of small chirping birds which surrounded him. who ftjllowed without alarm their {)(-cuj)ation of gleaning seeil> and berries for subsistence. 1 have oc'casionally obser\etl them perched on low bushes and stakes in the rice-fields, re- maining thus for half an hour at a time, and then darting after their |)rey as it cf)mes in sight. I saw one descend upon a I'hner. as 1 thought, and Wilson remarks their living on these l)irds, Larks, and Sandjjipers. 'J"he same pair that I watched als common in ."Manitoba. Xoii:. — The Florida Ri:d-Shoului:keij Wxwk (Buteo liiica- tus allcni) is a Southern form restricted to Florida and Texas. It differs from true lincaius in having the rufous tinge on the head and neck replaced by brownish gray. 46 HIRDS 0|- PRKV HARRIS'S HAWK. Parai-.i ri;t) lnu incus iiakrisi. Char. Prevailing color black, sometimes chocolate brown, tinged with clit-stniit (jii the lump ; ^iu millers and lining of wings ehestmit ; tailcnvtiis, base of tail, and terminal band, white. Length about 20 inches. A'l'sf. On a clili or in a tree, — usually the latter; a mere platfoim nf twigs and roots, lined with grass. /•,"-vf- --5 (usually 3); while, tinged with yellow, somelnties maiktd with brown or lavender, or both , J.15 X i 65. Harri.s's Hawk is abundant in parts of Texas and in Mexico, and occurs in small numbers in the southern part of Mississiiipi. It IS usually represented as a rather slii;;,!;i.sh bird, associating,' witl; the Vultures and joinint; in their feasts of carrion, but sometinies preyin. and the underparts are white with brown streaks. Length 19'j U) :\ inches. A'iSt In a high tree; of sticks, lined with grass, sometimes with feathers. /Ci,[!^s. 2-4 ; whitish or bluish white, usually heavily spotted or blotiiini with reddish brown; 2 30 X i So. This beautiful Ruz/anl inhabits most parts of the United States, being obseiAcd from C'anada to Florida; also, far westward tip the Missomi, and even on the coasts of the northern Pacific Ocean, by Lewis and Clarke. Wilson found the young to be fully grown in the month of May, ;ibout latitude 31° on the banks of the Mississi])pi ; at this period they were very noisy and clamorous, keeping up an imcs- sant s(iuealing. It also occasionally nests and breeds in large uEn-r.\iLi:i) hawk. 47 tni^ in the secludt'd forests of thiri p;irt of Massachusetts. 1 liL' young birds soon become very submissive, and allow thcm- sches to be handled with impunity by those who fred them. riir oldiT birds sometimes contest wiih each other in the air aluiul their prey, and nearly or wholly descend to the earth t,'iMi>pled in each other's talons. 'I'hough this s])ecies has the LjLiieral aspect of the liuzzard, its manners are very similar to lh(i-,L' of the (loshawk ; it is ecjually fierce and predatory, luiiwling around the farm often when straitened for food, and seizing, now and then, a hen or chiiken, which it snatches |)V makinjf a lateral apjiroach : it sweeps along near the sur- faic of the ground, and grasping its prey in its talons, bears it awnv to devour in some i)lace of security. These depredations un ihe farm-yard hai)pen, however, only in the winter ; at all other seasons this is one of the shyest and most ditificult birds to approach. It will at times poimce upon rabbits and tou^iderable-sized birds, particularly Larks, and has been oltsLTNcd in the Southern States ])erseveringly to i)ursue siiuirrels from bough to bough until they are overtaken and seized in the talons. It is frequently seen near wet meadows wluie mice, moles, and frogs are prevalent, anagle. On a fine evening, about the middle of January, in South (Carolina, I observed one of these birds leave its withered perch, and soaring aloft over the wild landscape, in a mood of contemplation, begin to ascend tuwards the thin skirting of elevated clouds above him. At lcnL,'ih he passed this sublime boundary, and was now ])er- 48 151 RDS OK TRLV. ccivcfl and soon followed by his ambitious niate, and in a little tinu', by circular ascending g> rations, they both disappeared in the clear azure of the heavens ; and though I waited for their re-ait])earance half an hour, they still continued to be wholly invisible. 'I'his amusement, or predilection for the cooler regions of the atmosphere, seems more or less common to all the rapacious birds. In numerous instances this exercise must be wholly independent of the inclination for surveying thur prey, as few of them besides the Falcon descend direct upon their (juarry. Many, as well as the present species, when uu the prowl tly near to the surface of the ground, and often wait and watch so as to steal upon their victims before they cm take the alarm. Indeed the Condor frecpients and nests ui)oii the summit of the Andes, above which they are seen to huar in the boundless ocean of space, enjoying the invigorating and rarefietl atmosphere, and only descending to the plains when impelled by the cravings of hunger. The Eastern variety of the Red-tail is a common bird throiii;li- out eastern North America north to about latitude .j.9°, and was taken l)y Ur. IJel! at Fort Churchill, on Hudson's l>ay. It ranges westward to the Great I'lains, where it is replaced by the sub- species krideri. From the Rocky Mountains to the I'acitic it is represented by caltints, and examples of this latter variety have been taken, occasionally, as far east as Illinois. The Red-tail is a summer resident only of the Maritime Provinces, but a few are found in winter in southern Ontario and New England. NoTK. — .Mr. Ridgway now considers Hakkan's Hawk XoW a variety of the Red-tail, and he proposes to name it liuteo borealh hailnni. Its usual habitat is along the lower Mississippi ; but e,\ uii pies have been taken in Illinois. Iowa, Pennsylvania, and Georgia. Two examples o£ Swainson's Hawk {Biitco s7L'a//isi»ii), a Western species, have been taken in Massachusetts, — one at Wayland in 1S76, and the other near Salem in 1878. BROAD-WINGKD HA\\K. RUTEO I..VIISSIMUS. TiiAR. Above, dull brown, the feathers with p.ilcr edcjes ; tail brown with four light bars and tipjK'd with white; below, but'tish or tawny, IwiTiil and streaked with rufous ; wings short and broad Length 13/2 to 15 inches. .W ,'. In a tree ; loosely built of twigs, and lined with leaves and feathers. /•', ,'1. 2-4; butTlish, blotched with reddish brown of various shades; i.oo.-- 1.55. This species was obtained by Wilson, in the vicinity of Philadelphia, in the act of feeding on a meadow-mouse. On bcin^ ajjproached, it uttered a whining whistle and (lew to another tree, where it was shot. Its great breadth of wing, as well as of the head and body, compared with its length, ap- jioars remarkably characteristic. The following day the mate was ol)ser\'ed sailing in wide circles, the wings scarcely moving, and presenting almost a semi-circular outline. These two in- dividuals appear to be all that were known to Wilson of this Vol.. I. — 4 ;o UIKDS oi" rUEV. Ill species. Aiuliibon considers it by no nK;ins a rare spec lis in Virginia, Maryland, and all the Slates to the eastward u\ these. Its usual prey is small birds, very young poultry, small (piadrupeds, and insects. The Uroad-wiii^ occurs throughout this eastern faunal proviiRu. but is somewluit local in clistributiou. In jiorlions of the Maritime Provinces it is abundant, thoii^li in general it is rallier uncoiniiKiii, Mr. John N'eilson considers it conunon near the city ol' (Quebec. Imt Mr. Ernest WinUe rejjorts it rare at Montreal, while Mr. William L. Scott thinks it the commonest Hawk in the Ottawa valley. .Mr. Thomas Mcllwraith gives it as a "casual visitor" to the soutlurii portions of Ontario, and .Mr. lOrnest Thompson found it abuiid.mt in the .Muskoka district. Thompson also rejjorts it common in Manitoba. In the more northern portions of New England it is a f.iidy common summer visitor, while it is found in .Massachu.setts and Comiecticut throu.i;hout the year, but is rather rare. It occurs also in more or less abundance in all the Middle, Western, and Southern .States. .My observations in i>ew Brunswick have led me to form a dif- ferent ojjinion of the characteristics of tiiis Hawk from Ouisc expressed by several writers. The exami)]es I mtt with were imt peculiarly void of either boldness or vigor in pursuit of their ]u\\; nor peculiarly spiritless wiien wounded. They did, of course, like others of the tribe, pursue weak prey, and displayed little \r\w bravery; but bravery is not a characteristic of the Hawks. .\ wounded Broad-winy-, however, acts just as does the boldest nl them, — he turns on his back and hits out with claws, l)eak. ar.il wings ; aiul the gunner wlio thinks lie has a meek or spiritless hinl to handle may regret the thought. SHORT TAIEKI) HAWK. BriKo HkAciiviRrs. Char. Above, brownish black or blaekish brown ; forehead and i ;:cck? white; tail brownish gray barred with black and tipi)ed wilh whiti: beneath, pure white, a patch of rufous on side of chest. Len_u;iii i'' inches. A't'sf. In a tall tree ; maile of dry twigs, lined with fresh t\v:,- >■'■ cyi^ress. ^&''^- i~3 » dull white, spotted on large end with reddish brown. MARSH HAWK. 5' The black and brown phases of plunia^ic worn by this bird have caused tiie scientific ornilliolo^nsts no little perplexity, and been the suli-ect of some controversy; so a brief summary of the various opinions held may serve as an illustration of the evolution of many scii'iilitic names. The sjjecies was tirst described from a specimen in brown plu- ni.iLir and j^iven the name it now bea-s; then a vouiilc bird came into the hands of another systematist, ..nd supposin<^ it to be a new species, he named it B. oxypicnis; and afterwards an example in black was taken by still another, who supposed it to be somethintf new, so he wrote it down I>. fu/i'^iiiosKs. These two last-men- tioiu'd were disposed of by other writers as synonyms of swiu'm- sciii. ()xy/>/r>us beinj^ considereil the youii.; plumaj^e, and /////:,'/- nd.uti a melanistic phase, whih- in several more recent works the latter, as the Little Black Hawk, was restored to specitic rank. riiLse oi)inions have recently been abandoned for that which has been helil for a long time by the few, — that both /u/Zi^tuosus and ox\/>tt-nis are synonyms of the present species. It cannot, however, be said that the matter is finally adjusted, for tlu' black color still presents this i)rol)lem ; Is it individual or sex- \i,il. — a melanistic phase, or the normal color of the adult male? ■{"he bird is entirely tropical in its range, antl is found within the I'nited States only in the tropical portions of Florida. It was sup- posed formerly to occur there merely as a casual or accidental slrii;y;Ier: but recent observations have jiroved it to be a regulnr tliougii uncommon visitor, and breeding there. MARSH HAWK. MARSH n.ARRlKR. HLUE HAWK. Circus hl-dsonus. ' iiAU. Adult male • above, bluish gray; tail wiii\ dark bauds ; rump white; liencalh white. Adult fenralc and ynun^: al)u\e, dark hiown >irLai, straw, and similar materials heai)ed together, and finished with a lining of feathers, hair, or other soft substances. In the /^ cincraai/s, so nearly related to this species, the eggs are of a pure white. When their young are ajjproachcd, the panuits, hovering round the intruder and uttering a sort of uncouth syllable, like gcg gci; }:;tli^, or i,'^ .j,--^ >ic gc ge, seem full of afri^ht and anxiety. The Crows, however, are their greatest enemies, and they often succeed in demolishing the nests. The young are easily tamed, and feed almost immediately without exhib- iting any signs of fear. Nuttall has told about all tliat more modern observers have to tell of this species. The authorities differ chiefly in descriptions oi the structure of the nest and the markings on the eggs. The nests that I have examined iuive been composed entirely of coarse grass, without lining, though the softest of the grass was laid on tup. The eggs were unspotted. ''IIAR. Ab ^P 's; dark niT^ins; tail ^'•M On : A^yj-- 2-7 ''''lis rem the precedii Arctic wilds tlie fur com stragglers, nc of winter, pe; the I'nited Si '" ^'Crmany, t'l^}' are obse ('rouse and o like a Falcon HA\\'K OWL. SURNLV UI.LLA CAPAROCH. ("IIAK. Above, dull blackish brown, spotted with white ; crown witiiotit >!> t-,; dark patch on the checks; face white, the feathers with dark margins; tail and wing with white bars; below, white with dark bars, Lcn;4th 14^4 to I7>^ inches. A'cif. On a tree ; of twigs lined with feathers. £;yj-. 2-7; dull white ; 1.55 X 1.25. This remarkable species, forming a connecting link with the preceding genus of the Hawks, is nearly confined to the Arctic wilds of both continents, being frequent in Siberia and the fur countri>_a from Hudson's l>ay t(j the Pacific. A few stragglers, now and then, at distant intervals and in the depths of winter, penetrate on the one side into the northern parts of tlu' I'nitcd States, and on the other they occasionally apj^ear ill (.icrmany, and more rarely in France. At Hudson's IJay thiv are observed by day flying high and preying on the \\'hite (Irouse and other birds, sometimes even attending the hunter like a Falcon, and boldly taking up the woundc ' game as it 54 15IKDS OF PREY. flutters on the ground. They are also said to feed on mire and insects, and (according to Meyer) they nest upon trees, laying two white eggs. 'I'hey are said to be constant atten- dants on the ]*tarmigans in their spring migrations towards the North, and are observed to hover round the camp-fires of ihc natives, in (juest probably of any offiil or rejected game. In Massachusetts and tlio more southern portions of New Kiii,'- land the Hav k Owl is only an occasional winter visitor ; hut in northern New England and the Maritime Provinces it occurs rc^u- lurly, though of varying abundance, in some seasons being quite rare. It is fairly common near Montre.il, and rare in Ontario and in Ohio. Thompson reports it abundant in Manitoba, but only one example has been taken in Illinois {Riifgwuv). It breeds '\\\ Newfoundland and the Magdalen Islands, and north to sub-arclic SNOWY OWL. NVCTEA \YCir.A. ''"iixR. General color pure white, with markings of dull brown or brownish black, the abundance and shade of tiie spots varying with age. A lar;;L', stout bird. Length 23 to 27 inches. .\',.>7. On the ground, of twigs and grass, lined with feathers. AVvf. 5^0 10; white; 2.55 X 190. This very large and often snow-white species of Owl is ilniost an exclusive inhabitant of the Arctic regions of both (oniinents, being common in Iceland, the Shetland Islands, Kaiiuschatka, Lapland, and Hudson's Lay. In these dreary uil(L, surrounded by an almost peri)etual winter, he dwells, breeds, and obtains his subsistence. His white robe remlers so BIRDS OF PREY. him scarcely discernible from the overwhelming snows, where he reigns, like the boreal spirit of the storm. His loud, hol- low, barking growl, 'To/iOiC/i, '70/1020/1, ''w/uno/i /iii/i, /id/i, /lah, /lii/i^ and other more dismal cries, sound like the unearllily ban of Cerberus ; and heard amidst a region of cheerless soli- tude, his lonely and terrific voice augments rather than relicN es the horrors of the scene. Clothed with a dense coating of feathers, which hide even the nostrils, and leave only the talons exposed, he ventures abroad boldly at all seasons, and, like the Hawks, seeks his prey by daylight as well as dark, skimming aloft -^nd reconnt)!- tring his prey, which is commonly the White Grouse or some other birds of the same genus, as well as hares. On these he darts from above, and rapidly seizes them in his resistless talons. At times he watches for fish, and condescends also to prey upon rats, mice, and even carrion. These birds appear to have a natural aversion to settled countries ; for which reason, perhaps, and the severity of the climate of Arctic America, they are frequently known to wander in the winter south through the thinly settled interior of the United States. They migrate probably by pairs ; and accord- ing to Wilson, two of these birds were so stupid, or dazzled, as to alight on the roof of the court-house in the large town of Cincinnati. In South Carolina Dr. Garden saw them o( ca- sionally, and they were, in this mild region, obser\-ed to hide themselves during the day in the palmetto-groves of the sea- coast, and only sallied out towards night in quest of their prey. Their habits, therefore, seem to vary considerably, according to circumstances and climate. This species is a regular winter visitor to the Northern and Middle States, and during some seasons has been quite abundant. A few pairs have been seen in summer in northern Maine, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia; but the usual breeding-ground is from about latitude 50^ to the Arctic regions. Willie in tlieir more southern resorts they are rarely found far from t'^e forest districts. .ese latter syllables with the usual quivering sound of the Owl. if SCREECH OWL. MOTTLED OWL. RED OWL. Megascops ASIO. Char. Above, varying greatly from brownish gray to brownish red, spotted (mottled) with darker shades of the same tint and with blackish; hel'iw, dull whitish or with a rufous tint and heavily marked with dull briHvn or blackish. In highly colored red examples the spots are less frciiuent. Large ear tufts ; wings and tail barred with the light and dark colors ; legs feathered and toes bristled. Length 7 to 10 inches. i\'t''/. In a hollow tree or stump ; the bottom of the hole slightly lined with leaves or feathers. £v,vr- 4-S ; white, nearly round ; 1.35 X 1.20. Mottled Owl. — This common, small, and handsome species, known as the Little Screech Owl, is probably resident in every part of ihe United States, and, in fact, inhabits from (Ireenland to i'lorida, and 'vestward to the Oregon. It appears more abundant in autumn and winter, as at those seasons, food fail- ;8 BIRDS OF I'REV. ing, it is obliged to approach habitations and barns, in which the mice it ( hicfly jircys on now assemble ; it also lies in wait fur small birds, and feeds on beetles, crickets, and other in- sects. The nest is usually in the hollow of an old orchard tree, about the months of May or June ; it is lined carelessly with a little hay, leaves, and feathers, and the eggs are commonly four to six, white, and nearly round. Aldrovandus remarks that the (Ireat Horned Owl ])r()vides so ])lentifully for its yoimg that a person might obtain some dainties from the ne.-.t, and yet leave a sufficiency for the Owlets besides. The same remark may also apply to this species, as in the hollow stmiip of an apple-tree, which contained a brood of these yoimg Owls, were foinid several Uluebirds, Blackbirds, and Song Sparrows, intended as a supply of food. During the day these birds retire into hollow trees ami un- frequented barns, or hide in the thickest evergreens. At tinus they are seen abroad by day, and in cloudy weather they wake up from their diurnal shunbers a considerable time before dark. In the day they are always drowsy, or, as if dozing, closing, or scarcely half opening their heavy eyes, presentini; the very picture of sloth and nightly dissipation. When ])ir- ceived by the smaller l)irds, they are at once recognized as their insic'iious enemies ; and the rareness of their ap]X'aran( e, before the usual roosting-time of other birds, augments the suspicicn they entertain of these feline hunters. From coin- ])lain*.s and cries of alarm, the Thrush sometimes threatens blows ; and though evening has perhaps set in, the snialkr birds and caf:kling Robins re-echo their shrill chirpings and complaints throughout an extensive wood, until the nocturnal monster has to seek safety in a distant flight. Their notes are most frequent in the latter end of summer and autinim, crying in a sort of wailing (]uiver, not very unlike the whining of a puppy dog. //fl, ho ho ltd ho ho ho, proceeding from high and clear to a low guttural shake or trill. These notes, at little in- tervals, arc answered by some companion, and appear to ho chiefly a call of recognition from yotmg of the same brood, or pairs who wish to discover each other after having been sepa- i ; I i RED OWL. 59 rated while dozing in the day. On moonlight evenings this skiidcr wailing is kept up nearly until midnight. Rtii 0-i^ent inhabits and breeds in most parts of the United States. In Pennsylvania they are hatched by the latter end of May, breeding in hollow trees. The eggs are about four. I have had an op])ortunity of verifying all that Wilson re- lates of the manners of this species in a Red or young Owl, taken out of a hollow apple-tree, which I kept for some nioiitlis. A dark closet was his favorite retreat during the (lay. In the evening he became very lively and restless, glid- inij across the room in which he was confined, with a side- long', noiseless flight, as if wafted by the air alone. .At times he (lung to the wainscot, and, unable to turn, he brought his head round to his back, so as to present, by the aid of his l)iilliant eyes, a most spectral and unearthly appearance. As the eyes of all the Owls, according to Wilson, are fixed im- movably in the socket by means of a many cleft capsular liga- ment, this provision for the free versatile motion of the head appears necessary. When approached towards evening, he a|i]ieare(l strongly engaged in reconnoitring the object, blow- ini,Mvitli a hissing noise {^sha\\ shay, shay), common to other s]ieeies, and stretching out his neck with a waving, lateral motion, in a threatening attitude, and, on a nearer a])proach, made a snap])ing with the bill, produced by striking together botli mandibles, as they are equally movable. He was a very expert mouse-catcher, swallowed his jirey whole, and then, after some time, ejected from the bill the bones, skin, and 6o I'.IRDS OF I'REV hair, in pellets. Tic also dcvonred lari,'c flics, which at this time came into the room in great niunbers ; and even llie iliy parts of these were also eje( led from the stomach without ili- geslion. A ])et of this species, wliich Dr. Michener hul. drank freciuently, and was accustomed to wash every day in a basin of cold water during the heat of summer. Nuttall, following Wilson and Aiidulion, treated the gray and red ])liases of this bird as two distinct species, and wrote scpar.ik' l)iograi)Iiies, which 1 insert in full. .Some oniitliologists have sup posed tiiat tlie gray specimens were the young birds; but it has been proved beyond (piestion that the two phases are simi)ly indi- vidual variations of the same species, dray and red birds li avc been found in one nest, with both parents gray, or both red, or witli one of each color. NoTi:. — A smaller and darker race is found in .South Carolinn, (leorgia, and Florida. It is named Florida Sckkix'H Owi (J/, asio Jloridtiiius). In this race the reddish feathers wear a richer rufous tint, and the gray are more deeply tinged with brown. ^■f" ^'??<*«:- GREAT HORNED OWL. CAT OWL. r>LI!() VIK(;iNl.\NUS. CiiAR. Plumage very variable, of mottled lilack, liL;lu ami dark blown, buff, and tawny. A white band on the throat, and a white stripe iIdwu ihe breast, — the latter sometimes obscure. l'",ar-tufts large and Loiispicutius ; legs and toes feathered. Length iS tn 25 iiuius. .\'('i/. Sometimes within a hollow tree, but usually en an upjjcr limb. A deserted nest of Crow or Hawk is often used, and then it is a clumsy, Inilky affair of sticks, lined with feathers /•.',.;>. 2-3; white and nearly spherical ; 2.20 X i.So. This s])ecies, so nearly related to the (Ireat i'.ared Owl uf Kumpe, is met with occasionally from Htulson's 15ay to 62 lilKDS OF I'KEV. Florida, and in Oregon ; it exists even beyond the Ironies, being very jjrobably the same bird ilcscribed by Marcgravc as inhabiting the forests of IJrazil. All climates are alike to this I'^agle of the night, the king of the nocturnal tribe of Amerii m birds. 'I'he aboriginal inhabitants of the country dread his boding howl, dedicating his effigies to their solemnities, and, as if he were their sacred bird of Minerva, forbid the mockery nt" his ominous, dismal, and almost supernatural cries. His favor- ite resort, in the dark and imjjenetrable swampy forests, wIkr' he dwells in chosen solitude secure from the approach of ew ry enemy, agrees with the melancholy and sinister traits of his character. To the surrounding feathered race he is the l'liit(j of the gloomy wilderness, and would scarcely be known out of the dismal shades where he hides, but to his victims, were he as silent as he is solitary. Among the choking, loud, guttural sounds which he sometimes inters in the dead of night, ;uiil with a suddenness which always alarms, because of his noisLk^s approach, is the '7Lur/o^/i ho! ^icani^h ho.' which, Wilscju re- marks, was often uttered at the instant of sweeping down around his camp-fire. Many kinds of Owls are similarly daz- zled and attracted by fire-lights, and occasionally HndinL;. iiu doubt, some offal or flesh thrown out by those who encamii in the wilderness, they come round the nocturnal blaze with other motives than barely those of curiosity. The solitary travellers in these wilds, apparently scanning the sinister motive of hi< visits, pretend to interi)ret his address into ^''ll'ho \-ook.< for you a// y and with a strong guttural pronunciation of the fnial syllable, to all those who have heard this his common cry. tb.e resemblance of sound is well hit, and instantly recalls the ghastly serenade oi his nocturnal majesty in a manner wliirh is not easily forgotten. The shorter cry which we have mentioned makes no mc(;nsiderable approach to that uttered by the luiropean brother of our sj)ecies, as given by lluffon, namely, 'hc-hoo, ^hoo-hoo, boo-hoo, etc. The Greeks called ihia transatlantic species Bym, either from its note or from the resemblance this bore to the bellowing of the ox. The l.;itin name Bubo has also reference to the same note of this noc- CIREAT HORNED OWL. 63 turnal binl. According to Krisch, who kept one of thcst- birds alive, its cries varied according to circumstances ; when hungry it luiil a nulling cry like J^uhii. I have reniarkeil the young, iirobahly, cjf our species utter the same low, ([uailing cry, while yet daylight, as it sat on the low branch of a tree ; the sound (if both is, at times, also not unlike that made by the Hawks or diurnal birds of prey. Indeetl, in gloomy weather I have seen our species on the alert, flying about many hour^ before dark, anil uttering his call of '/(v ko, ko ko ho. Their usual i)rey is young rabbits, sipiirrcls, rats, mice, ()uails, and small birds of various kinds; and when these resources fail cjr diminish, the\- occasionally prowl pretty boldly around the farm-yard in (piest of Chickens, which they seize on the roost. Indeed the Euro- pean Horned Owl frequently contends with the liu/zard for its prey, and generally comes off conipieror ; blind and infuriate with hunger, one of these has been known to dart even upon a 111 an. as if for conflict, and was killed in the encounter. My friiiid I )r. I'.oykin. of Milledgeville, in (leorgia, assured me that (Hir iif our own daring nocturnal adventurers, jjrowling rouml lii> jireniises, saw a cat dozing on the roof of a smoke-house, and supposing grimalkin a more harmless, rabbit-like animal than appeared in the seipiel, blindly snatched her u]) in his ta.lons ; but finding he had caught a 'Tartar, it was not long be- t'nre lie allowed i)iiss once more to tread the ground. In i!iiuland the same ernjr was committed by an Ivigle, who, attiT a severe conflict with a cat he had carried into the air, \va> at length brought to the ground before he could disengage liiui-.elf from the feline grasp. An Owl of this si)ecies, which I have observed in a cage, appeared very brisk late in the morning, hissed and blew when aiiiiruachetl with a stick, and dashed at it very heedlessly with lii^ bill : he now and then uttered a ^ko-ko/i, and was pretty loud in his call at an earlier hour. When approached, he cir- culady contracted the iris of the eyes to obtain a clearer view of the threatened object ; he also listened with great cpiickness to any sound which occurred near his i)rison, and eyed the living Pigeons, which passed by at some distance, with a scruti- ^4 lUKDS OK I'RI-V. ni/.ing and eager glance. Wlien i\-d he often had the hahii of hiding away liis siiperlliious pnnision. As far as I have been able to observe the retiring manners of this reehise, he shniibers ont the day chielly in the tlark tops of lofty trees. In these, according to Wilson, he generally la- gins to btiild in the month of May, though probably earlier in the Southern States. 'I'he nest is usually placed in the fork of a tree, made of a considerable pile of sticks, and lined with dry leaves and some feathers ; and, as a saving of labor, some- times they select a hollow tree for the purpose. Tills Owl is usually found in w'. 77V;'/- Jii'tiniis S(i/iti(iftis),-,\n extremely dark form, occurs in Labrador, .iiid is found also on the coast of the Northwest. The Wksti kn IIoKNKi) (JwL (/>'. 7'//\i^///i(i/ius siilhircd'ciis), a light-gray form, is usually restricted to the middle faunal province, but has been taken in Illinois and Wisconsin. GRE.VT CRAY OWL. Ului,.\ CIXr.REA. Char. Above, sooty brown nintflcd witli irregular bars of dull giav; below, p.iler tints of same colors in wavy stripes. No ear-tufts. I'he largest of the Owls. Length, 23 to 30 inches. AV.r/. In a tree. Ek^s. 2-3; white; 2.15 X 1.70. This is the largest American species known, and if the S. lapponica, common also to the Arctic circle, and seldom leav- ing it, being only accidental about Lake Superior, and otca- (JKKAT (JUAV cnvi. r,i()iially scon in Massachusetts in the di-pth of si'vcre wintrrs. Oiu- was caiii^ht piTihcd on a wood-pilr, in i staU' of listless iiiiiiivity. in the morning afti-r (laylii;lu. at Marhlehead, in 1 iliiiury, \>^^l. 'I liis indi\iihial survived for scver.d niouihs. and showed a great partiality for fish and birds. At liuus he uiirinl a tremulous cry or /lo ho ho ho hoo, not very dissimilar til ili.it of ihe Mottled Owl. At Hudson's l!ay and Labrador iluse Owls reside the whole year, and were found in the Ore- gon territory by Mr. 'I'ownsend. 'I'hey associate in pairs, lly aid feed on mice and hares, which thev sei/.e with very low smh muscular vigor as sometimes to sink into the snow aftiT them a foot deep. With ease they are able to carry off the alpine hare alive in their talons. In l'airo])C the species ap- ])e,irs wholly confined to the desert regitjns of l.aijlaiul. two or lime stragglers being all that have been obtained out of that country by naturalists. I »r. Kichardson says that it is by no means a rare bird in the fur (ountries, being an inhabitant of all the wooily districts IviiiL; lietween Lake Superior and latitudes Oy'-' or 6.S° and between Hudson's \\i\y and the Lacafic. It is common on the borders of (Ireat Dear Lake ; and there, and in the higher jiirallels of latitude, it must pursue its prey, during the summer iiMiuhs, by daylight. It keeps, however, within the woods, and (!i)LS not fre(iuent the barren grounds, like the Snowy ( )wl. nor ii ii so often met with in broad daylight as the 1 lawk ( )wl, but hunts principally when the stm is low, — indeed, it is only at such tiiius, when the recesses of the woods are deeply shadowed, that the American hare and the marine animals on which the Cinereous Owl chiefly preys, come forth to '[>.'t:i.\. ( )n the 23d of May 1 discovered a nest of this Owl, built on the to]) of a lofty Ixilsam poplar, of sticks, and lined with leathers. It con- tained three young, which were covered with a whitish ilown. Tlic capture in New England of several examples of this species has lieiMi recorded. During the winter of i8Sy-yo, a number were seen ainng the northern border of these States and in the southern poitidiis of Canada. Mr. .Mellwrailh reported that a large number had IiLcn taken near Hamilton. Vi il I. s mmaamr I.OXr.-EARED OWL. ASK) WU.SONIANTS. Char. Above, finelv mottled with dark brown, dull buff, and grav; brcasi siniilar, but of reddish tint ; lielly paler, with dark markings. K.ir- tufts la rj^e ; toes featliered. I-ength 15 inches. AVst. Usually in a tree; of twigs, lined with grass and fcatliers Sometimes a deserted Crow's or Hawk's nest is used. /i'vVJ. 3-6; white and oval ; 1.65 X l-jO. This si)ecies, like several others of the genus, appears \" \«- almost a deni/en of the world, being fotuid from Hudson's l'>;iy to the West Indies and Urazil, throughout Kurope, in Afriia, northern Asia, and probably China, in all which coinitriis it appears to be resident, but sei ms more abundant in crriaiii ])laces in winter, following rats and mice to their retreats in nr near houses and l)arns. It also preys upon small birds, ami in summer destroys beetles. It commonly lodges in miiKil buildings, the caverns of rocks, or in hollow trees. It dcicml: LONG-EARED UWL. itself with great spirit from the attacks of larger birds, making a rcaily use of its bill and talons, and when wounded is dan- gcmus and resolute. The I-ong-lvired Owl seldom, if ever, takes the troul)le to construct a nest of its own ; it seeks shelter amidst ruins and in the accidental hollows of trees, and rests content with thr dilapidated nursery of the Crow, the Magjiie. that of the W I'l'l rigeon, of the Buzzard, or e\L-n the tufted retreat of the squirrel. 'IVue to these habits, U'ilson found one (jf tlu'se ()\\i> sitting on her eggs in the deserted nest of the (Jua IJird, on ihc 25th of .\pril, six or seven miles below I'hiladclpiiia, in the midst of the gloomy cnswamped forest whi' h formed the ibual resort of these solitary Herons. So well satisfied was she ill i.K t with her company, and s(} jjcaceable, that one of the (Juas had a nest in the same tree with the Owl. 'IIk- young, until neatly fully grown, are grayish white, and roost close together on a large branch during the day, sheltered and hid amidst the thickest foliage ; they ac(iuire their natural color in about fifteen (hu>. besides mice and rats, this species also ])reys on field- mice, moles, and be«...'.es. The plaintive cry or hollow moan- inu' made by this bird, ^' c'o-io cloiiJr incessantly relocated during the night, so as to be troublesome where they fre(|uent, is very attractive to the larger birds, who out of curiosity and for jtersecution assemble around this s])ecies when em])loyed as a I'.ecoy, and are thus shot or caught by limed twigs. This Owl occurs throughout temperate Xortli America, and is a common resident everywhere excepting along the northern limit of its range, where it is less abundant, and appears in summer only. SHORT-EARED OWE. . ASIO ACCIITIRINUS. CllAK. Above, mottled with dark !>ro\vn, tawny, and buttish while; below, paler ; feet featiieied ; eartufts ineonspicuuns. Some example- are much paler, as if the colors iiad faded. Length about 15 inehe--. A'lSt. On the ground amid tall grass, and composed of a few twi;,^ ami a few feathers. J\k:ks- 3-6 ; while and oval ; 1.60 X 1.20. This is another of those nocturnal wanderers which now ami then arrive amongst us from the northern regions, where ihey usually breed. It comes to Hudson's Hay from the .'^ mth about May, where it makes a nest of dry grass on the groiiml. and, as usual, has white eggs. After rearing its brood n de- parts for the South in September, and in its migration^ h> been met with as far as New Jersey, near Philadelphia, where, according to Wilson, it arrives in November and departs in April. Pennant remarks that it has been met with in the ""■s is one iii'eeds ill ;,1] f "'"•til i„ tin, ,■ •1"^' west to th SIIORT-KAREI) OWL. G<) southern continent of America at the I'aikland Islands, It is likewise spread throuL^^h every part of luirope, and is coninu)!! ill ;ill the forests of Siberia; it also visits the Orkney I^l.inds ai!\vLs, aiul lii'L-ei's ill all the suitable marsh land along llie coast. It ranges ninth tn the fur countries, south to tlie (iult .States and bexond, and west to the Pacific. BraDKi BARRED OWL. HOOT OWL. Syrxium neisulosum. Char. Above, brown barred, spotted, and striped with dull gray ' i tawny; below, similar colors of paler tints; face, gray stripes; taii barred ; iris brownish black ; bill yellow. Length 19^4^ to 24 indie-. Easily distinguished from all other species by its dark eyes. A'l-sf. Usually in a hollow tree, but often a deserted nest of Ciowr Hawk is re-lined and used. Egi^'s. 2-4; white and nearly spherical ; i.QS X 1.65. This species inhabits the northern regions of both the ok! and new continent, but witli this difference, as in the DaU Eagle, that in the ancient continent it seldom wanders be- yond the Arctic circle, being found no farther to the south than Sweden and Norway ; while in .Vnierica it dwells and breeds at least in all the intermediate region from Hudson's bay to Florida, being considerably more numerous even than ctlur species throughout the swamps and dark forests of the South- BARRED OWL 71 (,rn States. Its food is principally rabbits, squirrels, (Irouse, (Jiiails, rats, mice, and frogs. From necessity, as well as choice, these birds not unfrecpiently ajjpear around the farmdiouse and uMnK'U in (juest of the poultry, ])articularly young chickens. At these limes they prowl abroad towards evening, and lly low ami steadily about, as if beating for their i)rey. In Alabama, (leor.Ljia, West Morida, and Louisiana, where they abound, they are I'lteu to be seen abroad by day, particularly in cloudy weather, and at times even soar and Hy with all the address of diurnal birds of prey. Their loud guttural call of 'Xv// 'kch 'ko ko, ho, or 'wliali 'i^'hali \ohah 'whah-aa, may be heard occasion- ally both by day and night, and as a note of rect)gnition, is reailily answered when mimicked, so as to decoy the original towards the sound. One which I received, in the month of l)ei ember (1830), was hovering over a covey of (Quails in the (liy-time ; and though the sportsman had the same aim, the ( )\vl also joined the chase, and was alone deterred from his siuiiier purjjose by receiving the contents of the gun intended only for the more fovorite game. When the yomig leave the iie-l they still keep together fc^r mutual warmth and safety in the lii,L;h, shaded branches of the trees where they have prob- ably been hatched. On being approached by the parents, the\ utter a hissing call audible for some distance. According t(» Audubon, when kci)t in captivity they jirove very u>eful in (■ ilcliing mace. Their flesh is also eaten by the Creoles of Louisiana, and considered as ])alatable. An interesting article, containing tlie' most valuable information iv-anling tlie hal^its of this Owl that has yet been puhlishech ap- pealed in ■• The Auk " for April, i.S(;o. Tlio writer, .Mr. Frank Holies. kept a pair for several years ; and one of tliese, having broken its wiiii;. was reduced to sueli subjection that Mr. bolles was enabled to nialiL;ht into the bird's metliods that no other nalin'ahst lias equalK-d. Xmii:. -^Thc Florida I5.\kui;i) Owi, {S. iirhuio^mn alh-ni). a xniKwhat darker variety, is restricted to the (iulf States and Florichi. / - r.iKi)s OF rRi:v. SA^v-^vHET ()^vr. ACADIAN OWL. NyCI'AI.A ACAI'UA. <"lf \R. Above, (lark spotted with reddish hiow lavisli l)i()\vn spotted witli while; below, white, tail slinit, with tlircc iiarmw bands of wliili.- SJOt.- 1 omit; ahiiost sohd brown o )f reddish lint, and face willi markings. Length j}^ to Sj< inches iWi/. A hole in a tree (nften in .i hole ihnl has been deserted by W'ojil- peckers), lined with leathers. A,',"'- 3-f> (usually 4) ; white; r 20 X i-oo. This very small species is believed to be an inhabitant of the nurtiiern regions of both continents, from which in ICuroia- it seldom wanders, bein,LC even \erv rare in the North of (lerinniiv. In the I'nited States it is not tniconmion as f;ir to the sonti, ,1- I'en isylvania .md New Jersey, where it is resident, havini^mp- parcntly a prfdilection for the sea-coast, living and nestiim ir, the ]»ine-trees or in the (lefts of rocks, and laying 4 1 ! ; wiiite eggs. It is generallv noctnrn;il ; ;nid if accident, .liy abroa*! by day, it flies (luickly to some shelter from the liuiit. It i s verv s(jlilarv in its habits, li\inLC wholly in the everLMceii forest- and comintr 011 t only towaitls night or early in iht )er- nKjrniiig in search of mice, beetles, moths, and grasshopi 'i'he note of this species is very different from that of S/n\ pd.^st'iiihi, or Little Owl, to which it is nearly rela This latter kind has a reiterated cry, when llying, like /. < podpoo. Another note, which it utters sitting, a])i)ears so 1 like the human voice calling out a}iiii\ hi 111?, iJiiic, that aci ing to liuffon, it deceived one of his servants, who lod ilv. loi. mil LTnl \\\(\ wakiii. one of the old tiurets of the castle of Montbard him up at three o'clock in the morning, with this singul he opened the window and called out, ''Who' s iJior bi J/r iiiUiic is iioi l^l).^^■,. but Peter .' " ir crv. 'I'lie Saw-whet • ca lied so from its note, wiiich rcsoin bK fiiin^i of a saw — breeds from the .Middle Slates northward to about latitude 50°, but is not an abundant bird anvwherc. <'I!.AR. . "i!li browr wlu-t, but w Xc. iKictitrr ;it the long siiperstitioi it: and if t lengi'. the .^ aia.iiig the tile bird of ''!-. it build: RICHARDSON'S OWL. SPARROW OWL. NVCIALA illNd.MALMl RKIIARDSOXI. CiiAR. Above, dark brown spotted with white; bene.ith. white strc.iked wiih brown; legs and feet l)uffy, sometimes sjiotied. -Siniilai t(j ihe Saw- \\ln.t,!iut with more white on liead and neck. Length 9 u> 12 inches. AV./. In a tree ; of grass and leaves. /■:--s. 2-4; white; 1.35 X 1.15- This is a small and nocturnal species, and so much so that whni it accidentally wanders abroad by day it is so much daz- /Kd l)y the light as to be rendered unable to make its escape whi.li surjirisetl, and may then be readily caught by the hand. Its nocturnal cry consists of a single melancholy note repeated at the long intervals of a minute or two : and it is one of the superstitious practices of the Indians to whistle when they hear it; and if the bird remains silent after this interrogatory chal- Icngi'. the speedy death of the intjuirer is augured ; and hence araung the Crees it has acquired the omnious ai)])ellati()n (jf the llird of Death {C/i('t'/'<>iiicsics) . .\ccording to M. Hutch- ins, ii builds a nest of grass half way up a pine-tree, and lays 74 BIRDS OF T'REY. 2 eggs in the montli of May. It feeds on mice and beetle:. It i)rol)ably inhabits all the forests of the fur countries from (Ireat vSlave Lake to the United States. On the banks of the Saskatchewan it is so common that its voice is heard almost every night by the traveller wherever he may select his cani]). It inhabits the woods along the streams of the Rocky Moun- tains down to the Oregon, and betrays but little suspicion when approached. Ricliardson's Owl is usually a rare winter visitor to the Maritime Provinces; but Mr. C. IJ. Cory foundit common and breeding on the Magdalene Islands, and a few examples have been taken in New Brunswick in summer. It is common on the north shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, tliough rare near the city of (Quebec; it occurs sparingly in winter along the northern border of Xew England and in southern Onta- rio, and occasionally straggles to Massachusetts and Connecticut. Thompson reports it common in Manitoba. BARN OWL. S'IRIX PR:\TINCOI,A. Thar. Colors extremely variable. Above, usually yellowish tawuy or oiangc browu, clouded with darker tints and spotted with white ; beneath, btitiish with dark sjiots ; face white, tinged with tawny; bill whitish. Sonic examples have but little marking on the back, and tlie face and l"\\cr parts are jiure white. Easily distinguished frnm (jtlier ( )wls by peculiar facial disc. Length 15 io 21 inches. .W.r/. In barn or church tower or hollow tree, — usually the last. The c-us are laid upon a mat of loosely laid twigs and weed-stems or grass. /■i^,-.u 3-1 1 ; white; 1.75 X 1.30. 'I'hcrc is scarcely any part of the world in which this com- nvin >pecies is not found : oxtcndiuLj v\\:n to l)otli sides of the equator, it is met with in New llollamK India, and Jirazil. It is perhaps nowhere more rare than in this i)art of the United States, and is only met with in I'eimsylvania And New Jersey in culd and severe winters. Nor is it e\"er so familiar as in 1 aiiope, frequenting ahiiost tniiformly the hollows of trees. 76 r.TRDS or VKV.W In the old continent it is almost domestic, inhabiting even \)()\>- ul(Jiis towns, and is particulaiiy attaihed to towers, hi'ltVii^ the roofs of churches, and other lofty buildinL^s, which affoid it a retreat durinL,^ the day. The elegant, grai)hic lines uf dray, describing its n^niantic haunt, are in the recollection <>( cverv one, — " Froin ynmlcr ivy-iiKuilkd tower 'I'lu; niDijiiiL; (Jwl {loL'ft to ilu' moon (.oinplaiii Of sucli ;is, \vaii(k'rii\i; near licr suLict bower, Molest licr ancient solitary reii;n " Superstition laiil aside, these Owls render essential service to the farmer by destroying mice, rats, and shrews, whi( h ink ^i houses and barns; they als(j catch bats and beetles, 'lluv likewise clear churches of such \ermin, and now and tluii, pressed by hunger, they have been known to sij), or rather lmI. the oil from the lamps when congealed by ccjld. A sliU imm extraordinary appetite, attribiUt-d to them, is tliat of cat( h ing fish, on which they fed their voracious young. In autuuiii also they have been known to pay a nightly visit to the phu i > where springes were laid for Woodcocks and Thrushes. The former ihey killed and ate on the spot ; but sometimes carried off the Thrushes and smaller birds, which, like mice, they either swallowed entire, rejecting the indigestible parts by the bill, or if too large, they plucked off the feathers and then bolted them whole, or only took them down piecemeal. In fine weather they venture out into the neighboring woods at night, returning to their usual retreat at the approach of morning. When they first sally from their holes, their e\(-' hardly well ojK-ned, they fiy tmnbling along almost to the ground, and usually proceed side- ways in their course, hi severe seasons, 5 or 6, probably a family brood, are discos - ered in the same retreat, or concealed in the fodder of the barn, where they find shelter, warmth, and food. The liarn Owl droi)s her eggs in the bare holes of walls, in the joists of houses, or in the hollows of decayed trees, and sj)reails no lining to receive them ; they are 3 to 5 in number, of a whitish color, and rather long than round. W tliey in_; I) it is M l)(i\s de.ifci tliiis h .ihilily nider t tliis |ii the oil i:ipti\L' <)!' liheri ••■lit tVoii (>• I lu 1I1''IH-1 i I'iids jjs .*■//'//'■, s/i IlO( lt\'. The u growth, a f.it and ] douiu- a.' Hudson's wix' cater The liar "■anh tlini: (-■vaiiiplcs 1 •Mr. AIcUw DAKX OWL // When out abroad by day, like most of the other spcrios, they arc numt'roiisly attended l)y the Uttle L^ossipini; and nisnll- iiiLi birds of tlie neiL,'ld)orhuod ; and to add to their distraction, it is not an unconimon practice, in the North of Mnuland, for Ih.\s to set up a shout and follow the ( )\vl, who beconies so ■ lijiiiied and stunned as at times nearly to fall down, and thus become an easy prey to his jH-rsecutors. And the ])rob- ahiliiy of such an effect will not be surprising when we con- sider the delicacy and magnitude of the auditory a])paratus of this bird, the use of which is probabi}- necessary to discover the otherwise silent retreats of their tiny i)rey. When taken I ,i|)tive. according to lluffon, they do not long survive tlie loss ul' lilnrty, and pertinaciously refuse to cat, — a habit very differ- (.1)1 from that of the young Red Owl, who allowed himself to fetd from my hand, ane eaten, and esteemed a delicacy, ac( ording to I'cnnant. 'I'hi.' barn Owl occurs regularly from the .Middle States soutli- ward. tiiough it is not al)undant norlli ol South Carolina. .V few examples have been taken in Connecticut and .Massacluisetts, and .Mr. .Mellwraith reports that four iiave been taken in Ontario. IS" mmm I-'LURIDA JiL'RROWINC, OWL. Sl'I'.OIV'IO CUMl ri.AKIA ri.oKlltANA. Char. Above, _. The tales related of lUirrowing Owls and rattlesnakes occupyin.; the same burrow are "hunter's tales,'" and lack confirmation. NoTi'. — The Western form of the IUkkowinc; Owl {S.tuni- iii/arid IiypOi^crti. lias been taken in ]\rassachusetts : but its oceur- rence to the eastward of the Great Plains is accidental. stripe (if hi •tkI spotted lo iiii lies. .\:/. M ■1 meadow ; , /■,.-. 4- '•'5 X .So. 'Hiis wel ''<-''ds is not 'T'l'^'ars to ''i^- frigid ''i<-' mild ta In the win MEADOW LARK. FIELD LARK. StURN'F.I.LV MAf.NA. Char. Above, grayish brown barred wiili l)lack ; crown witli nudial striiii. Ill bulT; lateral tail-feathers white; below ycllnw, titles darker and spotted with brown; black crescent on the l)rea,-.t. Length about to inches. X ■.'. Made of dry grass and placed amid a tuft of long grains in .1 nu-adow ; often covered, and the ojiening placed at the side /■■ , f. 4-6; white, thickly spotted with reddish bmwn and lilac; 1. 1 5 X .80. This well-known harmless inhabitant of mea(k)ws and cA/ tields is not only found in every ])art of the I'nitcd States, hut ojJiKars to be a resident in all the intermediate region, from the frigid latitude of 53° and the territory of Oregon, to the mild table-land of Mexico and the savannahs of (luiana. In the winter these birds abound in Alabama and Western OBSH So SINGING BIRDS. Florida ; so that in some degree, like tlie Jays and the k\uiii- mate Starlings, they ])artially migrate in (juest of food during the se\erity of the weather in the colder States. It is not, Imw- ever. im])rol)al)le but that most of the migrating families of tluse birds, which we find at this season, have merely travelled east- ward from the cold Western plains that are annually covered with snow. They are now seen in < onsiderable numbers in ainl round the salt-marshes, roving about in llocks of ten to thirty or more, seeking the shelter of the sea-coast, though iiDt in such dense llocks as the true Starlings ; these, in the manner of our common IJla kbirds, assemble in winter like dark clouds, moving as one body, ami when about to descend, perform ]iro- gressi\e circular evolutions in the air like a phalanx in ihe order (jf battle ; and when settled, blacken the earth with tiuir numbers, as well as stun the ears with their chatter. Like Oows also, they seek the shelter of reetl- marshes to ])ass tiic night, and in the day take the benefit of every sunny and .ilnl- tered covert. Our Starling, like the American ()uail, is sociable, and sonn- what gregarious; and though many, no doubt, wander simic disiance after food, yet a (vw, in Pennsylvania as well a^ \n this rigorous climate, may be seen m the market after the ground is covered with snow. Wilson even observed tli.in in the month of February, during a deep snow, among liu heights of the Alleghanies, gleaning their scanty i)ittance on the road, in company with the small Snow lUrds. The flesh of our bird is white, and for size and delicacy it is HI tolli-s o llsjlillir is a ino 'i'lplcasa fa( ijIh' ,, as uv \v '••''li^lish, uitliiii his V'/ <'.'>/, / ;i(ior. led > '^r-i]'hu- pc ■\t the.. jfalons (li.^ij uiiidi ilcri '^■niit\-, and '■'-■•'eiition 0 >^i'-.\ grass, iisnally fo,-n: 'nthcrcd gn I'lth is ,„;„i^ "Illy to ],^, i^^ I ho (..o-cr^ '''lie. almost J'lark.d with ""■■foirs at (h ''I'kor points ""^■'1 raise iv \o|,. I, MEADOW LARK, 8 1 nut mconsidcrablc, bears some rese.nl)lanrc to the slender sin- mi,^ and allecicd pronunciation of rt s, ,Ar ah. and /.V,/.. ,■/.,/," or nu .c/iao in a slou-, wiry, shrill tone, and sonielinu's d,l].r- c„t,v vaned and shortened. The same simple ditty is repeated ... the spnng when they associate in pairs ; the female also, as >lu: ..^e. or descends, at this time n-e,,uently gives a reiterated gntt.ual chirp or httrried twitter, like that of the female Red- w.nged l.lackbird. I hav. likewise at tinges heard them utter iiwtc. much more musical and vigorous, not very unlike the fme to.ics of the Sky I.„k; but I can by no means co.npare our li>pi.,g songster with that blithe "harbinger of dav " There ■^ a nmnotonous affectation in the song of our I.ark which ai.h...s .ndee.1 sonu^what allied to the jingling, though not ..P -sant, tune of the Starling. The Stare, nmreover, ha.I the t''«"''y-f "ii.tatmg human speech (which ours has not as fir a. uv yet knou'), and could in.linVrentlv speak even French l..^|.li^h, (ierman, Latin, and (Ireek. or anv other lau^^u.^J ^vilnm his hearing, and repeat short phrases ; 'so that - • I ca^i^ t ^ctouU ca,it^cfout; says the Starling," which accidentallv al'-nlnl Sterne such a beautiful and pathetic subject for hi's giai'liic pen, was ])robal)ly no fit ;„n. At the time of pairing, our I. .rk exhibits a little of the Jealous disposition of his tribe ; and having settled the dispute ^^'■I'i' 'I'.'ides his future condition, he retires from his {rx- tcr.ms, and, assisted by his mate, selects a thick tuft for the rnq.t,(,n of his nest, which is pretty compact, made of drv ^viiy grass, and line.l with finer blades of the same It is "^"■'Hv iorme.l with a covered entrance in the stuToun.luvr "'t hered grass, through which a hidlackl)ird, to which genus {^Icterus) our Sturiulla is not very remotely allied. Towards the close of June litlk' else is heard from the species l)Ut the noisy twitter of the female, [)rece. ,ic- companied by an impatient raising and lowering of the wini^s, and, in short, all the unjileasant and petulant actions of a brood-hen, as she is now assiduously engaged in fiisieriiii,' and supi)orting her helpless and dependent offspring. '["heir tcxjd consists of the larvai of various insects, as Wt' w(jrm s, becUes, and grass-seeds, to assist the digestion of which they swallow a considerable portion of gravel. It not apjjcar that these birds add lierries or fruits of any to their fare, like the Starling, but usually remain the whulc summer in moist meadows, and in winter retire to the < grassy woods, having no inclination to rob the orchard or den, and, except in winter, are of a shy, timid, and ret disposition. UOLN kind )])en uar- inn:? In the East the .Meadow Lark seldom ranges north of latitude 43' I met with but one example in New Urunswick. and learn that it i? rare near Montreal. It is common around Ottawa and throuul luut southern Ontario. Note. — A larger and paler form, named the Westf.un .Mi.ad- ow Lark (^9. iiiao^iia nci^lcctii), occurs in Wisconsin, Illinois, wvl Iowa; and Mr. W. V.. D. Scott has lately announced that the biii:> found in southwestern Florida should be referred to iiicxicam, tliL' Mi:.\u:.\N ^II■..\I)()W Lark, which is the smallest of the tha-.. A stray f.TARMXd {Stunuis 7'u/i^^iir/s) is said to have wanikia. from Europe to ("irecnland; and a T\u)VV]A\. {/c'/fnts /c/inis'.i South American bird, was taken by Audubon near Charlestoii. S. C. C'f\'^- Mai '""g'-'- lifll n '■"i^M he black '•^".^"1 7 to 8 i, •' '■ i'en.sil( -^irciiiity of br.' ^=''",^, 'lonschair ''-■-■• 4-6 ;dl ive Ihc elki iUle iIk ac- int;s, of ;i v\\ as )n of L iloL's • kind wkuk' J open or liar- retiiins m Iwiikvi.'. irlcM' lu I ;ri MORI-: orioli:. GOLDEN KOBIX. HAXG-NEST. riRE lilRD. Icterus cam hi, a. CiiAK. Male: head, neck, throat, l)a(;k, wings, and greater jiart of t,i:l lii.iik ; wing-coverts and secondaries ti|)pcd with white ; uliicr [larts I -111,:;'.' I'.iil and feet blue bhick. Female: sniaUor ami paler, some- taiKs ihc l)lack reiilaced by olive or grayish. Voiing similar to ii-male. li-nuih 7 to S inches. •\' .'. Tensile and purse-shaped, 6 to S inches (kcp. -^uspeiulcd from MrLinity of branch to to 50 feet from the ground, cnmpost.d of yarn, -'liiiL;, horsehair, grass, etc., woven into a compact texture. /•-Vv'. 4-6 ; dull white, blotched irregularly with dark brown ; .90 X .60. "T ur'niXTI S4 SINGING 151 RDS. These gay, lively, and brilliant strangers, leaving their lu- bernal retreat in Suulh America, appear in New lOngland aliom the first week in May, and mure than a nujnlh earlier in 1 nui- siana, according to the observations of Audubon. Theywiiv not seen, however, in West Florida by the middle of Mnidi, altliough vegetation had then so far advanced that tlie in were m leaf, and the white flowering cornel was blossom. It is here that they i)ass the most interesting period of iluir lives ; and their arrival is hailed as the sure harbinger t,\ approaching summer. Full of life and activity, these ficrv sylphs are now seen vaulting and darting incessantly through the lofty boughs of our tallest trees ; appearing and vanishing with restless inciuietude, and flashing at quick intervals intn sight from amidst the tender waving foliage, they seem liki- living gems intended to decorate the verdant garment of i1k new-clad forest. But the gay J]altimore is neither itlle iior capricious ; the beautiful small beetles and other aclive-wiiigcii insects on which he now principally feeds are in constant iiiu tion, and retjuire perpetual address in their capture. At fir-t the males only arrive, but without appearing in flocks : tluir mates are yet behind, and their social delight is inconiiilctc. They appear to feel this teni])orary bereavement, and in slinii and loud notes they fife out their tender plaints in ([uick sue- cessior., as they pry and spring through the shady boughs fur their ti;iy and eluding prey. They also now sjjcnd much linii in the ai)ple-trees, often sipping honey from the white blo^^jiib, over which they wander with peculiar delight, continually roviiu amidst the sweet and flowery ])rofusion. The mellow whistlo. notes which they are heard to trumpet from the high bnuiclic- of our tallest trees and gigantic elms resemble, at liuK-, Ws/tippt'-fshayia too too, and sometimes '' tsliippcc 'A/////! (lispingly), too too (with the two last syllables loud and fuHi. These notes are also varied by some birds so as to rcriombii Ush Ush 'tshcetshoo tshoo tshoo^ also 'tsh 'ts/ur/a 'ts/ur/a 'tslu\u 1 Tlic first three of these notes are derived from tlie Suiiuner Vei! -w I!;:- though nut its most usual tones. (HI,; /// /, ill' pi solitn .iti try Ii-rniih an iiiir n\-((| I, lic.inl i I'f iNjo ""' List j,l ''"^'^■'- ■"Id echoi BALTIMORK ORIOI.K, 8; iSlli m wnd'k'luf a fi'if ii (I'lf ti ti-a kcrrx ;'^ anotlu-r l)ir(l T h :ive Mona lly heard to call for hours, with soiiu- littl c variation. //; Uo Ico /('(> tiO too, in a loud, (|ucrulous, and yet almost lu- ijidously merry strain. At other intervals the sensations of Milil'ule seem to stimulate sometimes a loud and interro"- at.iiv note, echoed forth at intervals, as k' nx Icrrry !> and trnniiialinii: ])laintively k' rry k' rry /c'irv, /// ; the voice f; .ilf \\i\- slenderlv in the last 1 dling an 1 xnv^ syllable, which is a])])arently iiuiation from the Cardinal (irosbeak, and the rest is de- the C d T 'itmouse, whom they have already luMiil in concert as they passed through the warmer States. AiiMiiier interrogatory strain which I heard here in the spring of 1.S30 was precisely, \\ip k'r>-\\ '1//. '17/ k'rry, very loud and oft reiicated. Another male went in his ordinary key, fs/ieny ts/icrn, tslupcc tslhrx, — notes copied from the exhaustless stock i)f the Carolina Wren (also heard on his i)assage), but modu- lated to suit the fancy of our vocalist. 'I'he female likewise sin-s. but less agreeably than the male. One which I had ali'.iiida.ni opi)ortunity of observing, while busied in the toil of \VLa\ ing her comjilicated nest, every now and then, as a relief from the drudgery in which she was solely engaged, sung, in a sort (if.inerulous and rather plaintive strain, the strange, un- comh >\llal)les, 'ka 'ked kdioa. kcka kcka, the final tones lotid ami vaulting, which I have little doubt were an imitation of the iliscoidant notes of some South American l)ird. I'or many ilavs she continued this tune at intervals without any variation, llic inak', also while seeking his food in the same tree with his UKUe, or while they are both attending on their unlledged brooil. calls freciuently in a low, friendly whisper, Vr.-r///, /re''//. Indeed, all the individuals of either sex appear pertinaciously to adhere for weeks to the same quaint syllables which they have accidentally collected. 'ibis bird then, like the Starling, ai)i)ears to have a taste for mimiciy, or rather for sober imitation. A Cardinal Crosljcak li-M'1'^ning, very unusually, to pay us a vi^it. his harmonious Tlir last phrase loud and ascending', the A',? plaintive, .iiul the la^t svllab!> t'luliT aiul echnlMLr. -J-JMW so SINGING BIRDS. aivl bold wliistle struck upon the car of a Baltimore with iivwi (lcli;^ht ; and from that UKjuicnt his ordinary nf)tcs were IjkI aside for 'r.v//, "av/A Au. and other phrases ])reviously foreiLni to him f(jr that season. I have likewise heard anotlier indi\ ji!- ual exarliy imitatiuL; the soft and somewhat ])lainti\e rv/ i//, 77/ i/>/ of the same bird, and in the next breath the/^v/A or call of \\'il>(;n's 'I'hrusli ; also at times the earnest song u\ liie Robin. Indi'ed his variations and imitations ha\ e sometiiiH-s led me to l)eheve that I heard several new and meloilioib birds, and I was only undeceived when I beheld his brilli:int livery. So various, in fact, are the individual phrases chanted by this restless and lively bird that it is scarcely possible to fix on any characteristic notes by which he may be recogni/iil ; his singular, loud, and almost plaintive tone, and a fondiic^^s for harping long on the same string, are perhaps more peculi ir than any particular syllaliles which he may be heard to utter. ^\'hen alarmed or offended at being too closely watched or approached, both male and female utter an angry, rattling A/lvv fi/i'r, or hi-,s. A//' /. house, suspending it from the drooping branches of trees, ainl so low that it may be readily looked into even by the inai- rious. Omnivorous like the Starling, he feeds equally on insectN fruits, and seeds. He is called the Mocking Bird, and for lionr- togethcr, in gratit.ide as it were for protection, he serciuulc^ the inhabitants with his imitative notes. His own song, thoti;'h short, is sweet and melodious, liut hearing perhaps the yolii- ing of the Toucan, he drops his native strain to imitate it. or place it in ridicule by contrast. Again, he gives the cackling h WW ( , tl(Jll O of fi\e tlie e\ a.-, the tiili|)-tr natiir.il Jr siou corresj)( \Vith tht lin,::s. sti lyiii,;^ He. it interw fonn int( real nest, sometime of" slende feathers, more or k t'le leaves canopy, dt sometimes these nests <-"iiii)ositio sortoflaho "■'ii'le vviiJK laborious ta: BALTIMORE ORIOLE. «7 crii s of the Woodpecker, the bleating of the sheep; an inter- v,il iif liis own meloily, then probably a pup[)y dog or a (iuinea- iwui receiv es his usual attention : and the whcjle of this mi m- icrv is aeeomixinied by antic gestures indicative of the si)ort ,111(1 (dinpany which these vagaries afford him. Hence we see liuit I he mimicking talent of the Stare is inherent in thi- branch of the gregarious family, and our own IJaltimore, in a humbler style, is no less delighted with the notes of his feathered neighbors. '1 here is nothing more remarkable in the whole instinct of onr ( itjMcn Robin than the ingenuity disjilayed in the fabrica- tion of its nest, which is, in foct, a pendulous cylindric ])ouch of five to seven inches in depth, usually suspended from near the extremities of the high, drooping branches of trees (such a:i the elm, the i)ear or apple tree, wild-cherry, weeping-willow, tulip-tree, or buttonwood). It is begun by firmly fastening ii.iHitMl strings of the llax of the silk-weed, or swam])-holyhock, jr siout artificial threads, round two or more forked twigs, (omsponding to the; intended width anil depth of the nest. \\"\\h the same materials, willow down, or any accidental ravel - lilies, strings, thread, sewing-silk, tow, or wool, that may be lyiiii( near the neighboring houses, or round the grafts of trees, it interweaves and fabricates a sort of coarse cloth into the totui intended, towards the bottom of which is placed the real nest, made chiefly of lint, wiry grass, horse and cow hair, sometimes, in defe(-t of hair, lining the interior with a mixture of blender strips of smooth vine-bark, and rarely with a few feathers, the whole being of a considerable thickness, and more or less attached to the external jjouch. Over the top, the leaves, as they grow out. form a verdant and agreeable canopy, defending the young from the sun and rain. I'here is sometimes a considerable difference in the manufacture of these nests, as well as in the materials which enter into their coiniiosition. IJoth sexes seem to be equally adejns at this sort of labor, and I have seen the female alone perform the whole without any assistance, and the male also complete this laborious task nearly without the aid of his consort, — who, how- wm 88 SINGING lilRDS. ever, in general, is the principal worker. I have observed a nest made ahiiost wholly of tow, which was laid out for the convenience of a male bird, who with this aitl completed his lab(jr in a very short time, and fre([uently sang in a very ludi- crous manner while his mouth was loaded with a mass larger than his head. So eager are these birils to obtain fibrous ma- terials that they will readily tug at and even untie hard knots made of tow. In .Audubon's magnificent plates a nest is rep- resented as formed outwardly of the long-moss ; where this abounds, of course, the labor of obtaining materials must he greatly abridged. The author likewise remarks that the wliolc fabric consists almost entirely of this material, loosely inter- woven, without any warm lining, — a labor which our ingenious artist seems aware would be superfluous in the warm forests of the lower Mississippi. A female, which I ol)scr\'ed attcnti\(lv, carried off to her nest a ])iece of lamjj-wick ten or twelve tlct long. This long string, and many other shorter ones, were left hanging out for about a week before both the ends were wat- tled into the sides of the nest. Some other little birds, making use of similar materials, at times twitched these flowing einls. and generally brought out the busy Baltimore from her occn]»a- tion in great anger. The haste and eagerness of one of these airy architects, whi(di I accidentally observed on tlie banks of the Susipie- hanna, appeared likely to ])rove fatal to a busy female who. in weaving, got a loop round her neck ; and no sooner was she disengaged from this snare than it was slipped round her feet. and thus held her fast beyond the power of escape ! The ni ik' came frequently to the scene, now changed from that of inv and ho]ie into despair, but seemed wholly incapable of i "iii prehending or relieving the distress of his mate. In a sei "ii'l instance I have been told that a female has been observed dead in the like i)redicament. The eggs of this sjiecies are usually four or five, white, with a faint, indistinct lint of bluish, and marked, chiefly at the greater end, though sometimes scatteringly, with straggling, serpentine, dark-bri)wn lines and spots, and fainter hair stre iks, y ItMikii ■ eilily. 8 te'ii B <|ilentl 1 with t! 1 ■>iiiL:le er.idle 1 period and ed inlhni take wi ''M il.l\ spotted ; onsl_\- \ci\ !>.irents. the ;iirv i other ani is als(j ()( vi^iing esc 1 llr\ , lin nei-iil)()|-ii ; 11" not kil ; cneinies. ' •i"d w.iilin [ the -enero Ions of the ■ 1 hue kno hini.>eirto than desert "■hen the f '!'iy the di ^'i<^v ahnos i'l^' ihe unh '•"nie. ;it int I'.ALTIMORK ORIOLE. 89 liuikini,' sometiiiK's almost like real hair, and occasionally lined onh'. and witlioul the spots. The period of incubation is four- teen days. In Louisiana, according' tcj Audubon, they tVe- (|uciuly raise two broods in the season, arrivini( in that country with the openint; of the early sprini;. Here they raise but a siiiLile brood, whose long and tedious support in their lofty V raille absorbs their whole attention ; and at this interesting ]n riod they seem, as it were, to live only to protect, cherish, ami educate their yoimg. The first and general cry which the infant brood utter while yet in the nest, and nearly able to take wing, as well as for some days after, i;'. a kind of A-o acijuire the scolding rattle and short notes which they ]ii(il)ilily hear around them, such as pi'ct-K'd't, the cry of the s]ii>tti.(l Sandpi[)er, and others, and long continue to be assidu- (ju>lv tVd and guarded bv their very affectionate and devoted ])arcnls. Tufortunately, this contrivance of instinct to secure the airy nest from the (le])reilati(jns of rapacious monkeys, and other animals which freipient trees in warm or milil climates, is abo occasionally attended with serious accidents, when the young escape before obtaining the jterfect use of their wings. Tlu V cling, however, with great tenacity either to the nest or nci.uhhoring twigs; yet sometimes they fiill to the ground, and, if not killed on the spot, soon become a prey to niunerous cncniies. On such occasions it is painful to hear the jilaints and wailing cries (jf the parents. And when real danger offers, the mnerous and brilliant male, though much the less (|ueru- lous iif tJK' two, steps in to save his brood at every hazard : and 1 ha\e knine. at intervals, to visit and lament over the fatal spot, as if 90 si\(;i\(; I'.iRDS. s]K'll-boun(l by despair. Ifllu' season l)c not too far advancnl, tlif l(»s of tliL'ir cj^^L^s is generally socju n-paircd by constructing a second nest, in which, however, the eL,'gs are fewer. 'I'he true Oriole ( (^A (,'(///'///(/). wliich niii^rates into .\fri(M, and passes the breeiling season in the centre of iMU'ope, aUo makes a i)en(hilous nest, and dis|)lays great couratfe in the de- fence of its y(juni,s l)eing so attached to its i)rotj;eny that the fenude has l)een taken and conveyed to a (age on her eggs, on which, with resohite and fatal instinct, she remained faithfully sitting until she expued. 'I'he lialtimore bird, though naturally shy and suspicion^, probably for greater security from more dangerous enemies, generally c;hooses f(jr the nest the largest and tallest spreadiiii^ trees near ftrm-houses, and along fre(|uented lanes and roads; and trusting to the inaccessibleness of its ingenious mansinn, it works fearlessly and scarcely studies concealment. Iliil as soon as the young ;ire hatched, here, towards the close u\ June, the whole family begin to leave the immediate neighbor- hood of their cares. Hit through the woods, — a shy. roving, and nearly silent train ; and when ready for the distant journey be- fore them, abcMit the end of August or beginning of Sei)temlier, the whok' at once disai)]")ear, and ])robably arrive, as with ib, amidst the forests of South America in a scattered tlock, :iiiil continue, like Starlings, to ])ass the winter in celibacy, wholly engaged in gleaning a ([uiet subsistence until the return of spring. Then, incited by instinct to prepare for a more ]io\v- orful passion, thi'y again wing their way to the regions of tlio north, where, but for this wonderful instinct of migration, tlu' whole race would perish in a single season. As the se\i- nsually arrive in different flocks, it is evident that the coniuu:il tie ceases at the period of migration, and the choice of mates is renewed with the season ; during which the males, ami sometimes also the females, carry on their jealous disimics with much obstinacy. That our Oriole is not familiar with ns, independent of the all-powerful natural impulse which he obeys, is sufficieiulv obvious when he nests in the woods. Two of these solitary MAI.riMOKK Oklol.K 91 he (111 illy Men. >v of ibov- iiilicr, llnllV I'U (' IHIW- lsc\i'> liiati- lUlfS mid nliriiiL; pair^, hail this MiiniiuT, conirary to thiir n-ual h.ihils, taken up thrir aluxK^ in ihc lofty IxanchrN of a ,i,M,uantic p.mtoinvood in ihr lorL'sl. As soon as wc apjirarrd ihM' look tlic alarm, and ivmaini'd uneasy and irriiaMc until wi' witl' lly out of si:j,iu. ( )tlKTS, aijain, \ isit the- lu'art of iIk' popu- cit}, and ]iour forth thrir wild and ])Iainti\-c sonj^^s from the Wliol lulls ti( I'S \vhi( h d I'lorate the streets and t^ardens. amid the ( lin of the passing erowil and the tmnnll of incessant and noisv occu- li.itioiis. Audulion remarks that their migrations are pertormed >iiigl\- and (hu-ing the day, and that they jiroeeed high, and ll_\- straight and continuous. The food of the lialtimorc aj^iJearsto be small caterjiillars, — etimes those of the api)le-trees, — some unconunon kinds sum ol beetles, enures, and small ilies, like a s])e(ies ot ( \!iips. (•nationally I have seen an indixidiial (■olle( ting C'/r///,/,// ])y the sides of sandy and gravelly roads. 'I'luy fvvd lluar }-ou nil u>ually with soft caterpillars, which tliey swallow, and disgorge oil arriving at the nest ; and in this m cessary toil l)oth sexes as:^iduously unite. They seldom molest any of the fruits of our gaideiis, except a few cherries and mulberries, and are the mo>t; harmless, useful, beautiful, and common birds of the CDiintrv. "h ev are. how ever, accusei 1 of sometimes accom- p lining their young to the garden jjeas. which tliey devour while small and green ; and being now ])artly gregarious, the (lainaije tliev commit is at times rendered visible. ( )K'asio nallv they .'re seen in cages, lieing chielly fed on soaked bread, or iiual and water; they apjiear also fond of (lurries, straw- luiries. currants, raisins, and figs, so that we may justly ciiiiiider them, like the ("assicans and Starlings, as omniNortnis, liDimli m a less ( leijrret ley smg and appear In (.ay m con- fiiieinent or domestication, and become very docile, playful, and triendlv. even goinu in and out of the house, and some- hand of their protector. tiiiu iliuhtint: at a whistle on thi The young for a while recpiire to be (al on animal food alone, aiii! the most suitable a]')])ears to be iVesh min|.L'( ics a ri-lit to lie nientioneil liere. 'I'lic usual lialiitat nl' this ]ii( ics is between the eastern iiase of tiie Koekies and tile I'aeilie luast. URCHAKI) okioi.i:. Icn;i;is si'tuii s. ('ir\i;. Male: head, neck, haek, wings, and tail black; other parts clK>iiiut, ilecpest un breast. I''eni;de ; yellowish olive inclining tn bit/\vii ; \M^.;^ dusky l)rown with 2 wiiile bauds ; beneath, olive yellow. \'nnn,u' sliiiil.u to female. I,englh 6 to 7'+ inches. .\'i. or other soft material. It is sometimes ])artly sup|)ortcd in the f(jrks of ^mall twigs, and often entirely pendent. I'sually about 10 feet )iii the ground and near the end of the branch '•!svf- .1"^ (generally.)); white with blue or green tint, nregularly ■ kcd with lilac and brown; .So X .60. This smaller and ])Iaincr s]')ecics has many of the habits of the llaltinioro h\u\, and arrives in I'ennsylvania al)()iit a week liter. They enter the s(jnthern boundary of the I'nited States e;nl\- in March, and remain there until ()(t()l)er. 'I'liey do not hdwever. I beHeve, often migrate farther north and e;i^l th;in the State of Connecticut. I h;ive never seen or heard of them in Massachusetts, any more than my s('ientiric friend, and close observer, Mr. C. Pickering. 'J'iieir stay in the I'liited St;ites, it aiii'ears from Wilson, is little more tli;in four montlis, as they retire to South America early in September, or at least do not winter irt the Southern States. According to my friend Mr. W'.wr, they breed at Augusta, in (leorgia; and Mr. Say ob- served the Orchard (Jriole at Major bong's winter (piarlers on the b;inks of the Missouri. Audubon has also ol)served the species towards the sources of the Mississi])pi, as well as in the State of ^b^ine. The same author likewise remarks that their 94 SINGING BIRDS. northern migrations, like those of the Haltimorc l)ird, arc ikt- funiicd by much esteemed by the inhabitants. Wilson found them easy to raise from the nest, but does not say on what they were fed, though they probably recpiire the same treatment as the liaitimcjre Oriole. .According to .Vudubon, they sing with great liveliness in cages, being fed on rice and dry fruits when fresh camiot be ]):o(nired. Their ordinary diet, it a])pt'ars, is caterpillars and ii^ccts, of which they destroy great (luanlities. In the course of the season they likewise feed on various kiutls of juicy fruits and l)erries ; but their depredations on the fruits of the orchard aic very unimportant. This is a summer visitor throughout tho Eastern States, though not common north of the Connecticut valley. It occurs re-uiarly in Massachusetts and southern Ontario, and has been taken in .Main„' and New Brunswick. RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD. AGELAIUS PIKKNICEUS. Char. Male; black; lesser wingcoverts vermilion, bordered with bull'. Female; above, blackish brown streaked with paler and grayi>h: lower parts dusky white streaked with reddish brown ; sometimes wing- coverts have a reddish tinge. Young like female, but colors deeper. Length 7^ to 10 inches. A't'st. In a tuft of grass or on a bush; composed of grass, leaves, and mud, lined with soft grass. /iVV'j'. 3-5; color varies from bluish white to greenish blue, bh^lclied, streaked, and spotted with lilac and dark brown; size variable, average about 1. 00 X -90. The Red-Winged Troopial in summer inhabits the whole of North America from Nova Scotia to Mexico, and is foiimi in the interior from the 53d degree across the whole continent to the shores of the Pacific and along the coast as for as ("all fornia. They are migratory north of Maryland, bnt pass the winter and summer in great numbers in all the Southern Stales, fre(iuenting chiefly the settlements and rice and corn fields; towards the sea-coast, where they move about like blackening clouds, rising suddenly at times with a noise like thunder, and exhibiting amidst the broad shadows of their funereal ])liuTiage the bright flashing of the vermilion with which their wiuLi- arc so singularly decorated. After whirling and waving a little distance like the Starling, they descend as a torrent, and d ark- \\itf) the anil in t ^•verytliin liuHnek f; Me.\i((;, ^ I'arley. I'loni t natiiiv of scattered { t'u'ir way '-■iiaiter. ar forp)t in tl ''"'''J"'iiiitan( tin,ir their resound agj evening bci settling the •lay, they se 'I'l?: tones, riiption of Wem [(_■(!. 'J- •^"'I hy slo\, ■^pnl, u-hen 1 ^^■^-^ theyap the (\)u- 'lYo, RED.^V,.VGED EI.ACKn,Rl,. '"'"" "«■■ branches of ,he tree, bv „, • ^^ '"-'■^' a general concert that ZyVu" T^"'' ""■■•'■ "■"- '"";■- '- "....sic .eems to be'o'et'i " "'"^^' ""-' '« ->' »;"«•"«. -jingling li,,„ij „;„° >;^ ''"'"■'« '^'""-i-g -">' I .-r peculiar A„,,.,4..,,, ° , , ''j '^°- °'- >h.' l:ol,„,,„tf ™-l'lan,n,g cl.irp.s, j„,s and ,, , '! '' ■'■'"^' '' /'i' ■■ then "« » "ovel and sometimes en„ f, ' "'"-' "''"'^ »„„it„. '»rmo„y, in which the performe ""!,,'" "^ ''''"'"' "«! '>"«!= "P their feathers as if i, c in^d , ? *^°°'' ^•"""'. •'".1 ■I";'''"')- "■»« their show of „„*„"' ; ' J"'^' '» ■"■^^^' "P in "lira their food becins Jf,^^ '"'''"" nnality. »","."-^ >>-P'e Ora£ V ,; f™ ii':;"^- ''^■'"^' -'-/-assemble ■™'' '" 'l>e bar„.yards, greedi "'? ■; "°""'' "'^' "™-"il« "■'■'■."'■i%' within thei reach r, "'"°"'''>' 8''-»"i"S "p """"'k found them verv ,r ""= "'°'"'' «f March Mr ?'7'"- "'•"0 ".e" fo W d'T murn '"'" -'" "- '"'v' ^ l<"%- '""'''"''"' Stall a tithe of their '■■'■""' the beginning of March , » ■, ""'- "ftlie season, they be' iHt W -f r'';'"°"''"S '° 'he »^i} iney seem to rehVr<^ fi, ■ ^" '^^ "^'^\' "''"t? ;h«.er aud being the h.rbh 4,^ ^f T''" ""' ''>■ f"-diy f"«"t nuhe instant, a„,l„.ecnnot^,,""~ '""^ '^'""^ ■^''e ^"''"»""»"«s in spite of their r°h," '"-''""' "'"" ^'^ <"'! ""» "-ir accustoured re oV,^ '"''^'"'y Propensities. Selec- '-'""'' *^in With their ^eT pn,,^^'• ''"' '°"' "^-i-- "■^■'""S before retiring to o ' e / '" ""> "'"""'S ""') f""8 'henrselves fo^ t ^ „ r^f, '^--'-^ P-viot.s to ;'^''' 'I'ey seem all to join in a,:,, ^ "'" '"""'"' "> 'he '"'." ""«, which would bJerv" 'i """ '"' "'I'"'' »™l'- :;""V" "f ">e plaints a a r ,,'"•'" i' '"" ''"■ *^' '"'-- '*'■■"'"'• n>ey continue of ■ '°""''' "'"' "'"'^b it is •;'"' '■>■ ^l'"" streams Z pom ,'1! T" '""'^ '" s„,m„,s ^*l'"'' "b"' they begin! J™';" """ ""■'''"'■ "'■ ' '-■ "f ,7'. 'bey appeir to be p r d! ?, '" """■ ■''""'^■'""". t^-- ^s 98 SINGIXG BIRDS. incubation, but few of the other sex appear associated wiih them ; and as among the bobolinks, sometimes two or thnc uf the ma) .'s may be seen in chase of an indivichial of the (jUkt sex, but without making any contest or siiow of jealous feud with each other, as a concubinage rather than any regular mating seems to prevail among the species. Assembled again in their native marshes, the male perciud, upon the summit of some bush surrounded by water, in < oin- pany with his mates, now sings out, at short intervals, his guttural koni:;-(ji/cr-n'(', shari)ly calls t'tshcah, or when disturbed, plaintively utters 'ttsluiy ; to which his companions, not iu-en- sible to these odd attentions, n(nv and then return a gratuhitory cackle or reiterated chirp, like that of the native Meadow- Lark. As a pleasant and novel, though not unusual, acc(jniiia- niment, ]ierhaps the great bull-frog elevates his green head and brassy eyes from the stagnant pool, and calls out in a loud and echoing l)ellow, '70' rroo, 'warroo, 'wonorroo, 'bodivo, \vhi( h is again answered, or, as it were, merely varied by the creakinir or cackling voice of his feathered neighbors. This curious concert, uttered as it were from the still and sable waters uf the Styx, is at once both ludicrous and solemn. About the end of April or early in May, in the middle ami northern parts of the L'nion, the Red Winged Blackbirds (om- mence constructing their nests. The situation made choice of is generally in some marsh, swamji, or wet meadow, aboundiiy with alder {A/iiiis) or button-bushes {Ceplialauthits) ; in tluH\ commonly at the height of five to seven feet from the gmund. or sometimes hi a detached bush or tussock of rank gras^ in the meadow, the nest is formed. Outwardly it is comi)()sed uf a considerable quantity of the long dry leaves of sedge-grass (G/zva), or otlier kinds collected in wet situations, and oca- sionally the slender leaves of the flag {Iris) carried round all the adjoining twigs of the bush by way of support or suspni sion, and sometimes blended with strips of the lint of the swamp Asilcpias, or silk-weed {Asclcpias incarnata). Hn^^ whole of this exterior structure is also twisted in and out, ami carried in loops from one side of the nest to the other, iiatty much ; and ha widl as grass re .stout ai well lin( {Scirpi) adjoinin caution white, ti: pit-', and s routs, fibrous peat, or mud, so as to form, when dry, a ^lout and substantial, though concealed shell, the whole very well lined with fine dry stalks of grass or with slender rushes (.SV///'/). When the nest is in a tussock, it is also tied to the adjoining stalks of herbage ; but when on the ground this pre- caution of fixity is laid aside. The eggs are from 3 to 5, whitr, tinged with blue, marked with faint streaks of light pur- ple, and long, straggling, seri)entine lines and dashes of very dirk brown ; the markings not very numerous, and disposed almost wholly at the greater end. They raise two broods coin- munlv in the season. If the nest is approached while the Knialc is sitting, or when the young are hatched, loud cries of alarni are made by both parties, but more particular!}' by the ri'stlcss male, who flies to meet the intruder, and generally lnin^s together the whole symjjathizing com])any of his fellows, whose nests sometimes are within a few yards of each other. The female cries \]iieah, 'piicah, and at length, when the mis- (hiefihey dreaded is accomplished, the louder notes give way to others which are more still, slow, and mournful; one of which resembles fai, fai, or tea and f tshcah. When the young are taken or destroyed, the pair continue restless and dejected for several days ; but from the force of their gregarious habit they a.gain commence building, usually soon after, in the same meadow or swamp with their neighbors. In the latter part of July and August the young birds, now resembling the female. hegiii to dy in flocks and release themselves partly from dejjen- ilence on their parents, whose cares u]) to this time are faithful and unremitting ; a few males only seem inclined to stay and direct their motions. About the beginning of Sei)tember these flocks, by their tDrmidable numbers, do great damage to the unripe corn» which IS now a favorite repast ; and they are sometimes seen whirling and driving over the devoted cornfields and meadows •so as to darken the air with their numbers. 'I'he destruction lOO SINGING IJIRDS. at this time made among them by the gun and the Hawks pro- duces but little effect upon the remainder, who continue finr- lessly, and in spite of all opposition, from morning to night to ravage the cornfields while anything almost remains to be eaten, 'i'he farms near the sea-coast, or alluvial situation^, however, are their favorite haunts ; and towards the close of Scjjtember, the corn becoming hard, it is at length rejected for the seeds of the wiltl rice {Zizauia aquaiica) and other a(iti;ui(' plants, which now begin to ripen, and afford a more harmless and cheap repast to these dauntless marauders. At this time. also, they begin to roost in the reeds, whither they rejKiir in large flocks every evening from all the neighboring quarters of the country ; ujjon these they perch or cling, so as to obtain a support above the surrounding waters of the marsh. W hen the reeds become dry, advantage is taken of the circumstance to destroy these unfortunate gormandizers by fire ; and those who might esca])e the flames are shot down in vast numbers a-. they hover and scream around the spreading conflagration. Ivarly in November they generally leave the Northern and colder States, with tie exception of straggling parties, who still continue to glean subsistence, in the shelter of the sea- coast, in I )elaware, Maryland, and even in the cold climate of the State of Massachusetts.^ 'I'o those who seem inclined to extirpate these erratic depre- dators, Wilson justly remarks, as a balance against the damage they commit, the service they perform in the s])ring season, hy the immense number of insects and their lar\-?e which thcv destroy, as iheir principal food, and which are of kind-, imot injurious to the husbandman. Indeed, Kalm remarked that after a gre.it destniction made among these and the common lilackbirds for the legal reward of 3 pence a do/en. the Northern States, in 1749, experienced a complete loss of thi grass and grain crops, which were now devoured by insK ts. Like the Trooi)ial {Oriohis icterus, L.vnt.), the Kedwin: shows attachment and docility in confinement, becomin;^, hko ' My friend Mr. S. Green, of Boston, assures nie that he lias seen tl near Xewton, in a coilar-swanip, in January. bird' RED-WINGED ULACKBIRD. lOI (Icpre- tlamr.ge Ison. by 1-h ihcy nio-t 1 that 1)111 mo'.i .-n, the ,f tlv ihc Starling, familiar with those who t'cod him, and repaying tlic attention he receives, by singing his monotonous ditty iin uy freely, consisting, as we have already remarked, of vari- ous odd, grating, shrill, guttural, and sometimes warbling tones, \\hi( h become at length somewhat agreeable to the ear; and instances are said to have occurred of their acquiring the power of articulating several words pretty distinctly. '\'hc llesh of this bird is but little esteemed except when vouii.;. being dark and tough like that of the Starling ; yet in sonic of the markets of the United States they are at times c\ii(»i.d t.)r sale. Tlu Red-wing is a common summer visitor to the Eastern States and Canada, breeding as far north as latitude 50°. In the West it iiin,Lii-> ihniugl) the Saskatchewan valley to C'.reat Slave Lake. It wintLrs soulii to Mexico ; but a few individuals have I)ecn known to Ijiavc a New England winter. During the winter of iS8i;-90. a male was seen al)out the Eresh Pond marshes by several members of the Nuttall Club of Cambridge. Xorr.. — The Bahamax Rkd-wixg (A. phwuicus hiyanti). a ^ni.iller. darker race, is found on the Bahama Islands and in south- ern Florida. YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD. X.WriKKEPHAI.US X.\N'I HOCF.PHAIX'S. CiiAR. Male : licad. neck, and breast yellow ; large patch on wing white; other jiarts black. Female and younsj; : general color blackish brown; wings without the white spot; throat and breast dull vcllnw. Length 9 to 1 1 inches. iVrst. — Of dried grass, firmly woven and fastened to twigs of a Ini-h nr stalks of rushes, in a marsh or swampy meadow. ■^C'-f' — 2-6 ; grayish white, sometimes with a green tint, irregulaily marked with brown; 1.05 X 0.70. The Yellow-headed Troopial, though long known as an inhabitant of South America, was only recently added to the fauna of the L'nited States by Major Long's expedition. It was seen in great numbers near the banks of the River Platte, around the villages of the Pawnees, about the middle of May: and the different sexes were sometimes observed associated in separate flocks, as the breeding season had not yet probalily commenced. The range of this fine species is, a])par(.'iuly, from Cayenne, in tropical America, to the banks of the River Missouri, where Mr. Townsend.and myself observed exanij^les not far from the settled line of Missouri State. It has been seen by Dr. Richardson, in summer, as far as the 58th par- allel. Its visits in the.L'nited States are yet wholly confined to the ^lr,i in ,i( t( Jllr m I >(inn Lir\;u dcpci iih-icrv Iron I On aruniii the \\ 'ine\- k \l YELLUW-IIEADED HLACKIHRD. 103 till' west side of the Mississippi, beyond which, not even a ^UMUiilcr has been seen. 'I'hese birds assemble in llocks, and in .ill their movements, aerial evolutions, and predatory char- ■M\vy. a])pear as the counterpart of their Red-winged relatives. They are also seen to freciuent the ground in search of food, ill ihc manner of the Cow-Bunting, or 'rroojiial. In the >|iring season they wage war upon the insect tribes and their lar\ie, like the Red-wings, but in autumn they ])rincii)ally depend on the seeds of vegetables. At Demerara, Watcrton observed them in flocks, and, as might have been suspected froiii their habits, they were very greedy after Indian corn. ( )u the 2(1 of May, in our western tour across the continent, anjund the Kansa Indian Agency, we now saw abundance of the \'ell()w-heade(l Troopial, associated with the Cowbird. They ke])t wholly on the ground in com])nnies, the males, at this time, by themselves. In loose soil they dig into the earth with tlieir bills in quest of insects and larvre, are very active, >tr;iililk' al)()ut with a quaint gait, and now and then, in the inumer of the ("owbird, whistle out with great effort a chuck- linu note sounibng like ko-kukklc-'dlt, often varying into a straining squeak, as if using their utmost endeavor to make sdiiic kind of noise in token of sociability. Their music is, however, even inferior to the harsh note of the Cowbird. Ill the month of June, by the edge of a grassy marsh, in the 'ilHii phiin of the l^latte, several hundred miles inland, Mr. To'.\n>end tound the nest of this species built imder a tussock lomieil of fine grasses and canopied over like that of the Sliinirlhu or Meadow Lark. While essentially a bird of the prairie, this species occurs rcg- uhniv and in abundance in Wisconsin and Illinois. It has been i>hstrved occasionally in southern Ontario, and exami^les have been taken at Point des Monts, on the Cull" ol" St. Lawrence, and in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Florida. 104 SINGING BIRDS. cowniRi). COW liLACKUlKl). Moi.olllKl'S AIKR. CllAK. Male: liead and iKck dull lirowu ; other parts glossy bin k I'L-male aiul youiiy ■, brownish gray, paler below, with dark >ticaL- Ixni^th 7 to S inches. ^\'.>7. Does not build any, but lays its cg^s in nests of (jther species, usuallv of smaller birds, such as the Yellow Warbler, Chipping Spairiw, or one of the X'ireos. /V.^'i. ? (numljcr unknown, probably 4) ; dull white, somelinies niih green or buff tint, irregularly niarkeil with various shades of brouii; 0.S5 X 0G5. The Cow-pen Bird, perpetually j^Tegaiiotis and nittini:, is observed to enter the Middle and Northern States hi the latter end of March or the beghmhig of April. They make their mi- gration now chielly lunler cover of the night, or early dawn ; and as the season becomes milder they pass onto Canada, ami perhaps follow the Warblers and other small birds into the farthest regions of the north, for they are seen no more alter the middle of June until the return of autumn, when, with the colds of October, they agaiti reajjpear in numerous and aug- mented llocks, usually associated with their kindred Red-wings, to whom they bear a sensible likeness, as well as a similarity iti notes and manners. They pass the winter in the warmer j'lrts of America as well as in the Southern States, where I have observed them in the i)loughed fields, gleaning along witli the Red-wings and the common IJlackbirds. They are also very familiar annmd the cattle, picking up insects which they happen to disturb, or that exist in their ordure. When on the ground, they scratch up the soil and apjiear very intent after their food. Sometimes even, infringing on the rights ot the Plover, individuals, in the winter, frequent the margins ni ponds in quest of aquatic insects and small shell-fish ; and they may be seen industriously occupied in turning over the h i\i'> of the water-plants to which they adhere. They also freipieiit CUWiilKD. lO: CKcasiunally the rice and corn fields, as well as their more iiulurioiis associates, but are more inclined to native food and iuiects at all times, so that they are moie independent and k>s injurious to the farmer. As they exi^t in Mexico antl California, it is probable that they are also bred in the hiL;lier table-lands, as well as in the regions of the north. In Loui- siana, however, according to .Audubon, they aie rare \•i^^itors at any season, seeming more inclined to follow their route through the maritime districts. Over these countries, high in the air. in the month of (Jcto!)er, they are seen by day winging IJKir way to the remoter regions of the south. \\ (■ have observed that the Red-wings se])arate in ])arties, and pass a considerable part of the summer in the necessary duties of incubation. But the Cow-pen Birds release them- scKcs from all hindrance to their wanderings. 'I'he volatile di>po-iitinn and instinct which ])rompt birds to migrate, as the seasons change and as their food begins to fail, have only a ptrmdical inlluence ; and for a while they remain domestic, l)as>ing a portion of their time in the cares and enjoyments of the ( onjugal state. But with our bird, like the l']uroi)ean CiK koo, this season never arrives ; the tlocks live together without ever ])airing. A general concubinage jirevails among them, scarcely exciting any jealousy, and unaccompanied by any (hirable affection. From the commencement of their race they haw been lired as foundlings in the nests of other birds, and fid l)y foster-parents under the ])erpetual intluence of delusion and (lece])tion, and by the sacrifice of the concurrent ])rogeny of the nursing birds. Amongst all the feathered tribes hitherto knmvn, this and the European Cuckoo, with a few other species indigenous to the old continent, are the only kinds who never maki- a nest or hatch their young. 'That this character is not a \ i( c of habit, but a perpetual instinct of nature, ajipears from vaiidus circumstances, and from none more evidently than from this, that the eggs of the Cow Troo])ial are earlier hatched than thnsr of the foster-parent, — a singular and critical provision, on which jK'rhai^s the existence of the sjx'cies depends ; for did the natural brood of the deceived parent come first into exis- io6 SINGINC; IIIUUS. tt'tice, the strange egg on which they sat would generally he (If^tn ))!.•( I. When ihe female is disposed to lay, she appears restless and dejected, and sejiarates from the imregarding llock. Slealmii through the woods and thickets, she pries into the bushes ;in(l brambles for the nest that suits her, into which she darts in ihc absence of its owner, and in a few minutes is seen to rise on the wing, cheerful, and relieved from the anxiet} that ojjpressed lu r, and proceeds l)ack to the llock she had so reluctantly forsakrn. if the egg be deiKJsited in the nest alone, it is uniftjinily forsaken ; but if the nursing parent have any of her own, she inuuediately begins to sit. The Red-eyed Flycatcher, in whose beautiful basketdike nests I have observed these c;4l;i, proves a very affectionate and assiduous nurse to the uncouth foundhng. in one of these I found an egg of each bird, .nid the hen already sitting. I took her own egg and left tlic strange one ; she soon returned, and as if sensible of what had hai)pened, looked with steadfast attention, and shifted the egg about, then sat upon it, but soon moved off, again remucd her observation, and it was a considerable time before ^Iic seemed willing to take her seat; l)ut at length I left In i nii the nest. Two or three days after, I found that she had ii iiii- (luished her attention to the strange egg and forsaken ilio nest. Another of these birds, however, forsook the ne^l on taking out the Cowbird's egg, although she had still two ol' lur own left. The only example, ])erha])s, to the contrary of de- serting the nest when solely occupit'd by die stray egg. is in the liluebird, who, attaciied strongly to the breeding-places in which it often continues for several years, has been known in lay, though with ap])arent reluctance, after the deposili( ii nf the Cowbird's egg. My friend .Mr. C\ Pickering found U\' nests of the Summer-yellow llird, in which had been depi ' an egg of the ("owbird i)revi()usly to any of their own , unable to eject it, they had btu'ied it in the bottom of the ; and built over it an additional story ! 1 also saw, in the sum- mer of 1S30, a similar circumstance with the same bird, in which the Cowbird's egg, though incarcerated, was still vi-il)k' COWIIIKI). 107 iMi the upper edf^c. l)nt could never have been hatched. At times I think it i)r()l)al)le that they lay in the nests of larger birds, who throw tjut the cj^g, or that they ilrop their eggs on till' ground without obtaining a deposit, as 1 have foiuid an egg i)t this kind thus exposed and broken. On placing an egg of this bird in the Catbird's nest it was almost instantly ejected ; ami this would probably be the usual fate of liie strange egg if \hv diminutive nurses, thus wisely chosen, were capable of rcin()\ing it. The most usual nurse of this bird a])pears to be the Ked- cvcd X'ireo, who loniniences sitting as soon as the Cowbird's I'g^ is deposited. On these occasions I have known the \'ireo Id lugin her incubation with only an egg of each kind, and in iithtr nests I have observed as many as 3 of her own, with thai of the intruder. i'Vom the largeness of the strange egg, l)ri)l)alily the nest immediately feels filled, so as to induce the mir^e directly to sit. 'I'his larger egg, brought nearer to the hiMh- than her own, is conse(|uently better warmed and sooner hall hed ; and the yomig of the Cowbird, 1 belie\'e, apjjcars ahuiit the 12th or 13th day of sitting. The foimdling is very taiihtully nursed by the affectionate Vireo, along with her own brood, who make their ai)pearance about a day later than the Tro()]iial. From the great size of the parasite, the legitimate young are soon stifled, and, when dead, arc conveyed, as usual, by the duped ])arent to a distance before being dnjpped ; but thry are never found immediately beneath the nest, as would invariably happen if they were ejected by the young Troopial. In the s(unmer of iping .Sparrow car- rviiiu out to a distance one of its ilv.nl young thus stifled : and nest of the same specii's in which 3 of its own brood 'hed soon after the Cow Troopial : these survivi'd 2 or ind as they perished were carried away by the i)arent As far as I have had opportunity of ol)serving, the lonndHng shows no hostility to the natural brood of his nurses, hill he neady absorbs their whole attention, and early disi)lays his characteristi( tinning and self-possession. When fully fledged, they qi rior.oLixK. KICF. I3IKD. SKUNK BLACKBIKI). MEADOW- WINK. Dot.iciioxvx oRV/ivoKrs. ("ifAR. Male in sunmicr : black; hack of head and liind-iieck I)iirf ; scnpiihirs, rump, and ii[)per taihcovcrts asliy wliite. Male in winter, female, and young: ahove, yellowish brown, beneath, p.iler, Mune huffy; li.uiii >iripe un crown. Length 6ji to ~',2 inches. .V, ./ In a meadow ; made of dried grass. /•" Vf 4-6; white with green or buff tint, irregularly marked with lilai and brown ; 0.S5 X 0.60. The whole continent of .•^merica, from Labrador to Mexico, and the (Ireat Antilles, are the occasional residence of this tnily miuratory species. .About the middle of >rarch or beginnini; "t April the cheerful P)obolink makes his apiiearance in the souihern extremity of the United States, becominL,^ t^^radtially aiiMvcd in his nuptial livery, and accompanied by troops of his coiiipanions, who often precede the arrival of their mere tardy I lO SINGING BIRDS. mates. According to Richardson it is the beginning of Junr when they arrive at their farthest boreal station in the 541 li degree. We observed them in the great western plains to the base of the Rocky Mountains, but not in Oregon. Their win- tering resort appears to be rather the West Indies than ihc trojMcal continent, as their migrations are observed to lake place generally to the east of Louisiana, where their visits arc rare and irregular. At this season also they make their a]i- proaches chiefly by niglit, obeying, as it were, more dislinc tly, the mandates of an overruling instinct, which prompts them to seek out their natal regions ; wiiile in autumn, their progress, by day only, is alone instigated l)y the natural (luesl of f>)n(l. About the ist of May the meadows of Massachusetts begin lu re-echo their lively ditty. At this season, in wet places, ami by newly ploughed fields, they destroy many insects and their larva;. According to their success in obtaining food, [janies often delay their final northern movement as late as the rnii!- dle of May, so that tiiey appear to be in no haste to arri\e ,il their destination at any exact ])erio(l. The jirincipal business of their lives, however, the rearing of their y(jung, does not take ])lace until they have left the parallel of the 40th degree. In the savannahs of Ohio and Michigan, and the cool gra->>v meadows of New \'()rk, Canada, and New England. the\ li\ their abode, and obtain a sutticiency of food throughout the summer without molesting the harvest of the former, until tlie rii)ening of the latest crops of oats and barley, when, in their autumnal and changed dress, hardly now known as the ^mie species, they sometimes show their taste for plunder, and lloik together like the greedy and predatory lllackbirds. Altlioii-h they devour various kinds of insects and worms on their lir-^t arrival, I have found that their freepient visits among the gr i-^sy meadows were often also for the seeds they contam ; and they are particularly fond of those of the dock and dandelion, the latter of which is sweet and oily. Later in the season, and irc- viously to leaving their native regiv>ns, they feed ])rincipall\ on various kinds of grass-seeds, particularly those of the Pauicmns^ which are allied to millet. They also devour crickets and gri-^s- hojipers, as well as beetles and spiders. Their nest is fi\( i "ii the gr grass, a lousi he (!i>i eggs a. o\er u irregul; w.irds The appear u('( iir b Very CO I'eriud, enh'veni ijiiiet fei appear, alleclion i> chasec liTtimate tt'rni[)ti()i tin)(s \x'i llu Sky] alK)\-c til li' aiiDthc 'lutes, s( almost lik "'"these t ■^iich rapi ^(■ner.il el") ,~'""h ;in( tile I I nicer <|"'iint. ,\ li'l'iid soiii '<' give a imitation, "li^ tan.ili. IJODOLIXK. Ill till' pronnd in a slight depression, usually in a field of meadow Hiass, either in a dry or moist situation, and eonsists merely of a loose bedding of withered grass, so inartifieial as scarcely to be distinguishable from the rest of the ground annmd it. The eggs are 5 or 6, of a dull white, inclining to olive, scattered all over with small spots and touches of lilac; brown, with some irrrgular blotches of dark rufous brown, chielly disposed to- wards the larger end. The males, arriving a little earlier than the other sex, now aiipt-ar very vigorcjus, lively, and familiar. Many quarrels occur before the mating is settled ; and the females seem at first very ((jy and retiring. Kmulation fires the liobolink at this licriod. and rival songsters pour out their incessant strains of cnli\cuing music from every fence and orchard tree. The (Hiici females keep much on the ground ; but as soon as they apprar, they are pursued by the ardent candidates for their af!c( tion, and if either seems to be favored, the rejected suitor is (based off the ground, as soon as he a])pears, by his more forinnate rival. The song of the male continues witli little in- terruiition as long as the female is sitting, and his chant, at all tinit ^ very similar, is both singular and pleasant. ()fteii, like the Skylark, mounted, and hovering on the wing, at a small height above the field, as he passes along from one tree-top or weed til another, he utters such a jingling medley of short, variable notes, so confused, rapid, and rontinunus, that it ajipears alimist like the blending song of sc'veral different birds. Many of these tones are very agreeable ; but they are delivered with such ra])idity that the ear can scarcely separate them. 'i"he fieiieral effect, howe\-er. like all the sim])le efforts of Xature, is gi»o(l. and when several are -.hanting forth in the same meadow, the ( oiiccrt is very cheerfiii, though monotonous, and somewhat quaint. Atnong the few phrases that can be distinguished, the li<|nid sound of boh-o-lce bol>-o-Iiiik l'ol'-o-li)iki\ is wx\ distinct. To -ive an idea of the variable extent of song, and even an imitation, in ,-,v,me measure, of the chn^natic period and air of this fanaliar and rather favorite resident, the boys of this ])art of New I'.ngland make him spout, among others, the following 1 12 SINGING I5IKDS. ludicrous dunning phrase, as he rises and hovers on the wini,^ near his nvdtv, " 'Jid/'-o-/////:, ' Bdh-b-liiik, 'Tom Dciiiiy ' Tom Denny. — ' Conic pay nic thr hod dud ^ix ponco you've ciod more than a year and a half a^^o .' — 'fshe '/she '/she, '/sh '/■./i '/she,'' modestly diving at the same instant d/''/ee, 'hob' lee, or with his songless mate, at length, a ':e,-r. 'loee/, h'lee/ h'lee/, an( tile ()( cisi ■''I'ent and with this ^"'iiisennMi •'"■•ire and shooting. 'I'Kl .Is th take their ( 'ii>'"- tarthe in the rice ah-e.i, ly ,^,, Jainai'c;!, wi -'rass, I,ecoi •'n 'I., r. - liOlJULIXK. 113 the pcrfornicrs awake or relapse into rest ; it finally becomes iiKHc distinct antl tumultuous, till with the ojjening day it as- sumes the intelligible character of their ordinary song. I'he yduug males, towards the close of July, having nearly acijuired lluir perfect character, utter also in the morning, from the trcr^ which border their favorite marshy meadows, a very .mrtcable and continuous low warble, UKjre like that of the \ilKi\v r.ird than the usual song of the sjjecies ; in fact, they appear now in every respect as Finches, and only become lin^ling musicians when robed in their pied dress as Icten. AliDut the middle of August, in congregating numbers, di- votcd already of all selective attachment, vast foraging parties t'liUT New York and Pennsylvania, on their way to the South. IKre, along the shores of the large rivers, lined with floating TrMs of the wild rice, they find an abundant means of sub- si>tiiii e during their short slay ; and as their flesh, now fat, is little interior to that of the European Ortolan, the Reed or Rice l!i;il>, as they are then called in their Sparrow-dress, form a tavnrite ^port for gunners of all descriinions, who turn out on the ()( casion and commit prodigious havoc among tlie almost sileiit and greedy roosting throng. The markets are then filled with this delicious game, and the pursuit, both for success and amu^enient, along the picturesque and reedy shores of the Del- aware and other rivers is second to none but that of Rail- shooting. As soon as the cool nights of ( )(tol)er commence, and as the wild rice crops be-gin to fail, the Reed iJirds take their departure fn^m Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and in their farther progress through the Southern States they swarm in the rice fieUls ; and before the cnjp is gathered they have iheaily made their appearance in the islands of Cuba and Jamaica, where they also feed on the seeds of the (luinca ,'rass, become so fat as to desen/e the name of '' Butter-birds," md arc in high esteem for the table. Near the Atlantic coast the Pioljolink is not rnmmoii north of ■'it'45th parallel : but in the West it ranges to much higlier latitudes. A few examples have been observed on the New I'lrunswick shore of the ( ;elf of St. Lawrence. Vol.. I. — 8 114 SINGING BIRDS. BOAT-TAI Li: D ( ] RACKLE. JACKDAW. (^IIS( ALLS .NL\J(1R. CnAk. Extremely long, wedgc-shapecl tail, less conspicuous in fcniaK . Male : i)lack, witii metallic lints of ,i;icen, blue, and purple. Length 1 5 to ijYi iiithei. I'cinale : above , brown ; beiiealii,grayiali bruwn, cliangiiiL; to rcrldir^li and bully on breast and throat. Length, ii>i to 13 inches. A'ist. A bulky ^tincture ol ch^' jd grass and strips of bark, cemented with mud and liiieil uilii hne gra.Ns ; placed in a tree in swamp or near a tnar>h, sometimes fasteneil to rushes. ^'w>'- 2,-^'- gfavish drab \viti> tints of green or blue, marked witii black and brown blotches and lines; 1.25 X 0.90. 'I'liis hxx'j^ii .111(1 ('rt)\v-likL' s])L'cies, somctiiiies called the J;!< k- in Mexico, Louisiana, and Texas ; but they do not ever extern! their northern migrations as far as tiie Middle States. l''evi ous to their de]xirture, at the approach of winter, they are seen to assemble in large flocks, and every morning flights of them, at a great height, are seen moving away to the south. I-ike most gregarious birds, they are of a very sociaMt disposition, and are frequently obser\'ed to mingle with liic common Crow lilackbirds. They assemble in great mimltcr- among the sea islands, and neighboring marshes on the main land, where they feed at low water on the oyster-beds ami ^and- flats. Like Crows, they are omnivorous, their food con>i-iini: of insects, small shell-fish, corn, and small grain, so tint by turns they may be viewed as the friend or plunderer oi tin- planter. kind, i)ften liivfd lic.inj to s.td hiiili i ,ih-marshes and ponds. They begin to lay ab(nit the beginning of April ; soon after which the males leave tlieir mates, not only with the care of incubation, but with the rear- ing of the young, moving about in separate Hocks like the Cowbirds, without taking any interest in the fate of tluir progruy. 'i'liis species is rarely found north of \'irginia. Scvoral instances of ii.s occurrence in New I'^ngland have been reported: hut the correctness of these reports lias l)een cliallenged. and Mr. Allen omitted tlie species from his list of .Massachusetts birds issued m 1 886. PURPLE GRACKI.i:. CROW I!L.\CKI!IKI). Ql'I.SCA I. US (Jll.se ll.A. rii.\R. Black, with rich metallic lints of steel blue and purple, the fciiMlc somewhat duller. Lentflh, 11 to ij,'; inches. X- .t incredible. Wilson relates that on the joth of January, a K\v miles fron) .he banks of the Roanoke in \'irginia, he inei with one of those i)rodigious armies of lihickbirds, which, as he ap- ])roached, rose from the surrounding fields with a noise like thunder, and descenlaekl)ird as tlu' signal for a feast ; and without hesitation, they descend on the fields, and regale themselves with the sweet and sprouted --' ed. rejecting and scattering the blades around as an evidein •• nf their mischief and audacity. Again, about the beginniiiL; dI" August, while the grain is in the milky state, their attac k- iir renewed with the most destructive effect, as they now assemble as it were in clouds, and pillage the fields to such a degree that in some low and sheltered situations, in the vicinitv of rivers, where they delight to roam, one fourth of the crnj) is devoured by these vexatious visitors. The gun, also, nutu ith- ^v,•(l ti <-'i\itv\vitli ^i'l^J-' l.rou PUKl'M-; t.RACKLL:. I I tocu .staiidin.L; the havoc it proiliux's, lias lililu more cCrcct ih in lo cha.-ic ihcm from (Jiic part ol" the field to the other. !n llie Soulherii Stales, in winter, they hover njund ihe c:orn-(;ril)s m and boldly peck the haul yrain from the cob ihroiigh ^uaiins, Uic air openings (ji me maga/ane f thi li 1 ('()nML(|uence t A these reiterated depredations, they are detested by the farmer as a pe^t to his indubtry ; though on their arrival their fcxjd for a long time con:iists wholly of those injects which are calculated to (111 ti>e most essential injury to the crops. 'I'hey at this season frei|'ii.iit swamps and meadows, and familiarly following the fur- row- thi ploiign, sweej) up a 11 tin ;rul)-W()rms and other noxious animals as soon as they appear, e\en scratching n\> the loo^r soil, that nothing of this kind may escape them. I p to the liiiu of har\est 1 have imif )rinly, on dissection, found tliLir food to ( lin^i^t of these larva;, caterpillars, moths, and l)eetle>, of which the y devour such numbers that but for thi.i providential Lconoiny the whole crop of grain, in man\ ))laces. would prob- n >r lood. ibl} be dcstroyctl b)' the time it began lo germinate. I wuite r they collect the mast of the beei h an (1 oai dni[ inav be seen assembled in large bodies in the w oods tor tl ii> purpi)sc. In the spring season the l!la( kbirds roost in the ( I'lia friciidlv rs and pine-trees, to which in the e\e nuv. tl ie\' retire wi th and mutual chatter. ( )n the tallest of these trees, as wrll as in bushes, they generally build their nests, — which work, like all their movt'inents, is connnonly performed in socirty, so that lo or 1 )f thi em are often seen in the same tree anil times they have been known to thrust their nests inti tlu' interstices of the Fish Hawk's evrv, as if fir satetv aiK pidUction. Occasionally they breed in tall poplars near U halMiations, and if not mcjlested, continue to resort to the sai ne Ma. for several vears in succe ssion. T le nest IS com])ost h in wa\ ing llight, forming circles ; amidst these bodies, the noti' of the (;ld reconnoitring le.ider may be heard, and no sooner has he fixed upon the iiUeiideil spot than they all defend auA take their stations in an iiisiant. At this time thev are aKn fre([uently accompanied l>y the l''erruginous species, with whi( h ihey associate in a friendly maimer. The iilackbird is easily tamed, sings m ( onrmenient, .'.nd may be taught to articulate some few words jiretty distinc ll\. Among the \ariety of its natural notes, the jieculiarly affec ted sibilation of the Starling is heard in the 7.v'///A//(V, 'n'ollilJi an be carried to the mainland on the ice; and these barns, bcin^ un- used during the breeding season, offer excellent building sites for colonies of Crow l>laekbirds and Swallows. Tlie nests are fastruca to the beams with mud in much the same method as that adc^i'ted by Robins. A smaller race with a larger tail is restrict'^d to southern Florida It is named the Florida ( Ik.acki.k ((?. quiscula aii^/cvus). RUSTY LLACKHIRD. 119 RISI'V llI.XCKIJikl). Scol.lA o|'ll.\(;r> ( AKOl.lNLS. I iiAK. Male in siiniim.r. glossy black, generally more or less feathers Lil.nud with n.ckliali brown. Mali' in winter: the brown more i(in.>i>ic- iKHH, the lower pails marked with bnt'l'y. l''ein.ilc and yonng : dull rn.-iy liiiiwii .iliove, ru.-ty and a>hy benealli. Length S'^ to ij-^^ inches. .\,.iA In a siiruce-tree or alder; a large bin soliil structnre of twigs ;uid vines, .sometimes cemented with mud, lined with grass .md k.ncs. /•\yr. .}-7 ; grayish green to pale green, thickly blotched with light aiul (lark bruwn and purple; i.oo X 0.76. This species, less fre(|iient than the preeediiiL;, is ofti-n asMxiited with it or witli the Ked-winged 'rroi)])ial or the ('uu|ieii l)ird ; and according to the season, they are found ihrxiii^hont America, from Hudson's Ilav to I'loriihi, and uest- w.iri Uil- to the Pacific Ocean. I'.arlv m ■\1 ril, acconhiiL; to 111. they pa ss hastily throuuh l\'nn>\l\-ania, on their rctiiMi to the North to breed, hi the month of March lie ohxiAcd them on the banks of the ( )hio, ni'ar Kentucky River, 'I'hev arri\-e in the \icinitv of Hudson's (luriiiL; a snow-storm. I). IV .11)1) nt th e beumninLf o f M. IV, and \\-vA much in the manner of the common ("i-cnv Ulackbird on insects which they find on or luar the i^M'ound. I )r. Richardson saw them in the winter as fir as the latitude of 55°, and in summer they ran^e to the 6Sth parallel or to the extremity of the wooded region, 'i'hey in the jiairing season, but become nearly siKnt while SIIIL rciniiLT tlieir younif y '& > di lomrh when their brood release theni froin c.ire, they again resume their la\-, and may occasionally be until the approach of winter. Their song is (|uite as le.iid a'Tec.ilile and musica 1 as that of the Star IIIL ami rre.i ^ur■ pa. that of any of the other species. 1 1 lave 111 a th, rd thrin iiingiug luitil the middle of October. They are said t(j buihl in trees and bushes at no great dis- t.uice from the ground, making a nest similar to the other ^]K'cics, and lay five eggs, of a jiale blue spotted with black. The vouul: and old, now assemblinu in larLre tn retire from 'li'.' nurthern regions in September. I''rom the beginning of 130 SINCiIN(i lUUDS. ()( toiler to the inidilK' of N'onciuIkt, llu-y art' seen in tlocks throiij^h tlif liaslcrn Stales, hiiriiii; lluir ^lay in this vi( iiiiiy tlii-y ariscmbk' towards night to ruor,i in or round the r(iil tiKirshi's ot" l''resh I'ond, near (.'ambridge. Sonietinie-. lluy select the willows by tlie water for their lodging, in iirefireiicc to till' ree(U. which they give n\) to tluir companions the Crow Hlackbirds. i^arly in October they feed ( hiell\ mi grasshoppers and berries, and at a later pi'riod pay a tran^Il■lll visit to the corn-llelds. 'I'hey pass the winter in the Scjiithi in Slates, and, like their darkiT relatives, make familiar visile to the barnvard and corn-cribs. Wilson remarks that tluv jyv casi ly di omesticated, ann m a lew ilays become (|mle fiiniliar, being reconciled to any (quarters while stii)ijlied with pleiit food. lt\- nf The Rusty blackbird breeds from about the 45tli parallel to the lower fur countries. It is fairly eomniou near the Atlantic, bin is ni( )rc abundant in the interior, and Mr. 'I'liomjison reports it cnm- nionly abundant in Manitoba. In this region it does not al\v;i\s select an aider swani]) for a nesting site, as some authors liivc stated. A nest disiovered In' niv friend banks was amid tl le ii:i;icr hrancnes o f Jack's park, near St. Jul si/.ed spruce on a dry hillside in Mr. Will lam HI. NORTHERN RAVEN. CoKVUS COR.AX I'KIN'CII'AI.IS. Thar, lilack with bluish purjiie ljIoss. I.cni^tli 22 to zOji inclu '^. A\s/. On :i elilt or in a tree; niadc of sticks carefully and edin: ;m!v arranged, linetl with i^rass or wool, — repaired year after year, ami tliu- increascd to eonsiderahlu bulk. Jis^'^'s. 2-j ; pale olive, marked with olive-brown blotches and strciio 2.00 X 1.40. The sable Raven has been obsen'cd and described from tl.i earliest times, and is a resident of almost every country r; tin world ; but is more jiartictdarly abtmdant in the western than the eastern parts of the I'nited States, where it extends aloni: the ( )regon to the shores of the Pacific. This ominous hinl h.is he e\(ii !i open d huds ( .■M'lVuig indeed tune, li( ii> inse( i> p irtii oiinii\()t If we somhre 1 and I'lmt. ignoninc as an oj)j li-'t of sin aniioiuK i peojile yi lile and li .\'( liidiii Ki'.vn fo n lines 0 war, (lee, "f tills (1, tia-r,>t in inlialiitani tlle ( ll.lllcr, «iih ,'1 he '"lions pn t'Hi provin Serene the ''!«■ the wo times he h; tile ekvfric n.ituril tho tile siiperst th>' iina^rina II NURTIIKR.N KA\i;.\. IJI 111, been generally despised ;iml feared li\ the siiiuT^titinus t\(ii more than llie iiocliitnal Owl, tlioii^h iu' prowls abroad in (jpeii day. lie may be ((jiisidered as lioldint; a relation to the 'i,irl> of prey, feedin^^ not only on (anion, but occasionallv si'i/m,^; on weakly lambs, youii;.; hares or rabbits, and seiins iiiil. cd lo gi\e a [jreferenee U) animal foo(l ; but al the same nine, he is able to live on all kinds of fruil> and grain, as well ,i> uisi'cts, earth-worms, even dead (i.ih, and in addition to all, i^ ]i iriiiiilarly fond of egg>. so that no animal seems more triilv ()inni\orous than the Kaven. Hue take into consideratitjn his indiscriniinating \ora( ity. xniibre livery, disc.urdanl, croaking cry, with his igniil)le, wild, and iunereal aspect, we need not be stirjirised that in times of i^iinrinre and error he shonld have bi'en so generally regarded a> ,111 object of disgust and fear, lie stood |ire-eminent in the li-.t wf minister birds, or those whose only premonition was the aiiiioiuK ing of misfortunes ; and. strange to tell, there .fe many ln'ii|ile yet in i;uro])e, even in this enlightene(l age, who tii m- jik' and become uneasy at tlie soimd of his harmless croaking. Acd'iding to .\dair, the Southern aborigine-^ also in\-okt' the R.i\tn for those who are sick, mimicking his \oici' ; an 1 the n!ii\is of the Missouri, assuming black as thiir emblem of wir. decorate themselves on those occasions with the iilumes of ihis dark bird. Unt all tlie know ledge of the l^uture. or m- tiTist in destiny, possessed by the l\a\en, like that of other inhabitants of the air, is bonnded by an in.stinctive feeling of the ( hanges which are about to hajijien in the atmosphere, and \\hi( h he has the faculty of announcing by certain cries and artiniis produced by these external iini)ressions. In the south- ern ]irovinces of Sweden, as l,inna:us remarks, when the sky is Serene the Raven flies verv high and niters a hollow sound, like the word I'A'fii;, which is heard to a great distance. Some- times he has been seen in the midst of a thunder-storm with the electric fire streaming from the extremity of his bill, — a natural though extraordinary phencMiienon, sufficient to terrify the superstitious and to stamp the harmless subject of it with thv' imaginary traits and attributes of a denn)n. 122 SINGING BIRDS. Ill ancient times, when divination made a part of religion, the Raven, tliough a bad proi)hc; was yet a very interesting ])ir(l; for the passion for prying into future events, even ilie most (lurk and sorrowful, is an original propensity of human nature. Accordingly, all the actions of this sombre bird, all the circumstances of its flight, and all ihe different intonations of it> discordant voice, of which no less than sixty-four weie remarki'd, had each of them an ;'|)propri,',te signification ; and th -e were never wanting impostors to procure this preten(!i(l intelligence, nor peonle sim[)le enough to credit it. Smut' even went so iar as to impose upon themselves, by ilevourng the heart and entrails of the disgusting Raven, in the strange hope of thus a])i)ro[)riating its sup])oseil gift of prophecy. d he !\a\en imleed not only jiossesses a great many natural inlle( lions (;f \oice co-responding to its various feelings, bni it has also a talent for imitating the cries of other animals, and evm mimicking language, .\ccording to lluffon, I'li/as \> a word which he proiKJunce., with peculiar facility. (,"onne( un^ circuinstani es with bis wants, Scaliger heard one, whi( h wiuu hungry, learnt very distinctly to call upon L\>)ii\i(l the conk. d"he fust of these words bears a gr"at resemblance to one nt' the ordinary cries of this species, ko-nei\eil »vater near the bottom of a narrov'-necked vase, to ohiaiii which, he is said to ha\e thrown in jiebblcv one ;it a liirie, until the i)ile (.'levated tht> water within hi> reaidi. Nor docs this trait, singular as it is, a])])ear to be miu h more sagacirms than that of carrying u]) nuts and shell-fish into the air, aid dropping to olitair R.neii b' tht'>e I)ir( tioii for ( blood am suei.il thai ciK'Us nat al|o\\-s a ii u-ilhoiii be iiie. — a (■( ''ri\en. '1 harmless tl' in the de>t wiy well C( I hough binb of pas <'r the war They are p, iia\e been 'ih^en'ed tc ^■'itirely aba '■''■-' I'liin, it |<'H- -roiuid iuMt .ind di. '■"^'-t in the I hoose in t Hind>ofthe ii\ in ( xtcn( 'lunng the m the 1iii.|ks v i"it they for li"kN ,,t\ii^. , 'Tld, sonK-tiii, trre.. Af,, NORTHERN RAVEN. 12 droji])ing them on rucks, fur the purpose of breaking them to (I'lii.iin ihi'ir contents, otherwise beyond his reach, — facts ob^uAeil by men of cre(bt, and recorded as an instinct of the K.niii by I'ennant and l.ilham. It is, however, seldom that the->e birds, any more than the rapacious kinds, feel an inclina- tidu fur drinking, as their thirst is usually (Quenched by the hlnnl and juices of their pre\. 1 he Ravens are also more social than the birds of prey, — which arises from the promis- cULHis nature and conse([uent abundance of their food, which :illi)ws a greater ni;.nber to subsi.->t together in the same ])lace, withuiU being urged to lie stern neces>it\' of solitude or fim- iiu'. — a conditi(/n to which the true rapacious birds are always ('ri\rii. I'he habits of these birds are much more generally liariiik>^ than is usually imagined ; they are useful to the firmer ill tlu destruction they make of moles aiul mice, antl are often vi.r\ -Aril contented with insects and earth-worms. Though sureatl over the whiTe world, they are rarelv ever hinb iif [)assage, enduring the winters e\en of the Arctic circle, or liic warmth of Mexico. St. I )omingo, and .Madagriscar. Tlii-y are particularly attached to the rocky e\ries where they liive been bred and pairecb Throughout the year the\ are nl,-~crved together in nearly eijual numbers, and they ne\er intiR'lv abandon this adopted home. If they desciiid iiuo t!v.' iiliin, it is to collect subsistence : but they rt'sort to the low -rminds more in winter than -umnu-r. as they a\'ui I the he It and dislike to wander from their . Af.i.r the*' have pain-d. their fidelitN' a]i])ears to '-untinue thnni. ' i-'. . 'ri,.> male expresses his attachment by a particu- 124 SL\GL\G IJIRDS. lar strain of rroaking. and both .scxrs arc observed caresMin-. I)-- ai)proaching tlieir hills, with as nnu li semblance uf all'ection as the truest turtle-du\es. In teni])erale climates the kawn he gins to iay in the months of February or March, 'i'he egL^> .irc 5 or C, of a pale, muddy bluish green, marked with nurmnjus spots and lines of dark cjli\e bnnvn. She sits about 20 davs, and during this time the male lakes care t(j proN'ide her with abundance of nourishment. Indeed, from the ([uantit)' ofgniii, nuts, and fruits which have been found at this time in the envi- rons of the nest, this su])ply would appear lo be a sl(jre laiil ii]) for future occasions. W hate\er may be their forethonght re- garding food, they ha\e a well-known projiensity to hiilc Uiini^s whic h come within their rcac h, though useless to lluinschcs, and a])pear to give a ])reference to pieces (>f metal, o: jiiv- ihing which has a brilliant ap])earance. At l'!rfurt. oiic of these birds had the patience to carry and hide, one b_\ ,)iie. umler a .-.tone in the garden, a (juanlily of small pie( cs of money, whi( h auKjunled, when discovered, to 5 or 6 lloriiis; and there are ivw countries which cannot aflbrd similar instan- ces of their domestic thefis. Of the perseverance ol the Ra\en in the act of incul) .ti.in. Mr. White has related the following remarkable anecdoU : in the centre of a grove near Selborne there ^tood a lal! iii'i shapeless oak which bulged out into a large e\cres( en( ( iiear the middle of the stem. On this tree a jjair of Raven- h,:! fixed their residence for such a series of years th.it llu >>..'^ was distinguislied by the title of "'i'he Raven Tree." M.iii;. were the attempts of the neighboring youths to get at tlii- !it - 'J'he difficulty whetted their inclinations, and each was an, tious of accom])lishing the arduous task ; but when they arrn^ at the swelling, it jutted out so in their way. and was ^■> \ ' beyond their gras)). that the boldest lads were deterred, tii a( knowledged the miderlaking to be too hazanlous. 'J'li'i> tlv- Ra\-ens (oiitinned to buiM. and rear their \'oung in sti irit until the fatal day on wiiit h the wood w.is to be lev. He'd. 'J'his was in the month of I'ebruary, when these birds u-::.iily begin to sit. Tiie saw w.is ai)p!ied to the trunk, the W'dgv- \V' u- (ir ur 111 iJli R,\.i) i her UK uhii.|)e( grmii) I. pn\ i.iiNi gorged I] iit this tn fur. li'it I and show hi:^ lleigh hill nntil I he \i(Mii_; th(Mi-,h th iH-igiil)()i-iii !'•'>•' the ti, of the par ('''iininer to '■'-■t'irn u-uii '''■\"iM' the "i>'in' ti\-(- I) '■'k- bird :hv hill, the -ton( > „f fri 'inu- ,.;,t. Til.' \„rtl [■•^'1 ■' '• "-e ffoii ''"f tl' • limits '^-"■t'l' ni i,H-n, N(»ri'!ii:r\ ravkx. 125 anon, ■: In 1 m'! near > hail v^ ii,;k M.mv IK'"' ml'.- Irrivc'l far w, •(■ driven, the \voo(U iThord to tlie In. vy blows of the beetle nr Miillet, and the tree nodded to it.-, fall ; but siill the de\i)led K , n >:U on. At last, when it L;a\e way, ^.he was llun^ from her iinient eyry ; and a \ietini to ]iareiual afferlion, was \vhii.|i((l down by the twigs, anil brought lifeless to the \lXi inne, doubly vigil. tnt and industrious, not onl\- provides fur. b'il defends his fimil)" vigorously from every hosiile atl.n k. ami slunvs a particail ir enmity to the Kile wh.en he appears in his luighborhood, pouncing upon him and striking with his liill iiiilil sometimes both antagonists descend to the ground. I'he \oung are long and affectionately fed by the parents ; and thniiL;!! they soon leave the in'st, they remain pen hing on the iieiu'iihoring rocks, yet unable to make any extensi\e Ihght, and ]i:^> 'lie time in continual complaining cries till the approach 0! till' parent with food, when their note ( ha.nges into r/•(^^', (•'■(?:.'. , rii7L'. Now and then as they gam strength the_\' make rt> lo llv, and then return t(j their rockv roost. .\b(*ui 1:; fill) (lavs at'ter leaving the nest, they be come so well prep;iri(l for om lliuht as to accompany the parents out on their exi iirsion^ t"r iiiiirning to night : and it is amusing to watch the progress of ■his afiectionate association, the young continuing the whole Miiiiiner to go out with the old in the morning, and as regularly ritnrn with them again in the e\-cniiig. so that howcxer we may ah whi( h the\- .-^onu.' tinir< eat. heir as tlie The Xorthem Raven has been separated latch from the M (Al- an r hc (for which latti . the name of .s///.'tiU/r: has hf.n retained 1, hut th ■ limits of tlaar distribution li.ive not been determined. The i;orth( in fonii occurs ihrou'diout Canada north to die .Arctic Ocean TraaEEHHHEnBS! WIHBWWWP iB?5? 126 SINGING lilKDS. and west to the I'acitic; but to whicli lurm Uil' buds found in the Eastern Status are to be referred, has not l)eeu settled by ihc authorities. Of late years the Raven has almost forsaken the New En^laiuj sliores, tliougii it is still numerous around the May of f'undy, and occurs locally in small numbers along the entire coast ol ihe Atlantic, and throughout this faunal province. It is more abuuLiunt to the Westward of the MississijJi)!. (ROW. Cj»K\r.- A.MI.KICAXUS. Char, lllack, with gloss of purple tinge. Lcngtii 17 to 21 inches. A'cs/. In a tree ; made of slicks and twigs, hned with grass ami leaves £^i;^^s. 4-6 ; sea-green to dull (_ili\e, bioichcd witii brown ; 1.7-j ,\ i.jc. The Crow, like tlic Raven, wliich it greatly rcseinblc-^. is a deni/cn of rear!} the whole wtuM. It is foiiiid even in Wu Holkmil and the Philippine Islands, but is rare in Sweden. where the Raven abounds, ll is also coninnjn in Siliena. and plentiful in the .\r(ti( deserts beyond the Lena. The native Crow is a constant and troublesoniely abund.ant resident in most of the settled districts of North .America, as well as an inhal)itant of the Western wilds thrmmliDir. the Rocky Mountains, lo tiie ])anks of the Oregon and the shores of the Pacific, 'i'hese birds only retire into the l"')rest> in the breeding season, which lasts from March to M.iy .\: this time they are dis])ersed througli the woods in pair>, an ! roost in the neighborhood of the spot which they have selected, for their nest : and the conjugal union, once formed. con;imii-> for life. They are now very noisy, and vigilant again-' anv intrusion on their ptu-jxise, and at times a]")ix'ar influencil in mutual jealousy, but never i)roceed to any violence. 1 in tree they select is generally lofty, and preference seem^ <»tU'ii given to some dark and concealing evergreen. H'he n '-t i- formetl externally of small twigs coarsely interlaced to^; iiii.r, plastered and matted with earth, moss, and long horse liair. and thi niiteri.i (oiiifori Ihe tile 11 ei: to .ijipri till the i their l.Tt a .Miiuui( tool I to rclie\es I l\a\eii, I, I'.iir luiu ull.-, blow- alert and the Crou endued w tinue the till ir offsp The Cr wiJiius, c, 'iiK<-'>lible ilC(c|it;ibIe biid e; detected k •Jfthe Part full) pieni '''>«' know •'f"!!! a grea snares and t'H' Weak ar .V'llaig rhlrk l"":ilci. iipoi ^'*!'"ll MlCCe; P'lits of the 'Ti'l. like Ha ill CROW. 1J7 b a (lain .■rica. lumt orcsb A: t anv 1 In ■ •thor, an 1 tlii( kly and carefully lined with Iai;^c (luantitics of the la>t 111 ili.ii.ll, wool, or the linest fibres of roots, so as to form a very (UMifoilahle bed for tlie helpless and naked yount;. 1 lu' male at this season is extremely watc hful. reconnoitring till' neighborhood, and givini^ an alarm as any person happens tn .ipproach towards their nest, when both retire to a distance till liie intruder disappears , and in order the better to coik e.il thrir brootl, they remain unccMnmonly silent until these are in a >iuiation to follow them on the winj-, 'I'hc malr als(j carries find lo his mate while confined to her cljum, and at times rcluAcs her by sitting in her absence. In iairope, when the l\i\i!i, the l)U/./,ard, or the Kestrel makes his api)earance. the [lair Join instantl)- in the attack, and sometimes, by dint of furi- ou.-. blows, destroy their enemy; yet tlu' I!ut( her liird. more altrt and courageous, not only resists, but often \an(iiii>hes tlu' (rows and carries off their yotnig. Like the l\a\cns, cmlueil with an imrestrained and natural affection, they ( on- tinuc the whole succeeding smnmer to succor and accompan\- ihcir offspring in all their tmdertakings and exiiu^ions. The Crow is equally omnivorous with the Raven ; insects, wiiiiii>, carrion, fish, grain, fruits, and in short e\ervthing (iiu'cstible by any or ail the birds in existence, being alike ac( ept.ible to this gormandizing animal. Its destriK tion of bin! egg;; is also very considerable. In l-.urope Crows are often detected feeding their voracious young with the ])recious eggs (jf the Partridge, which they very sagaciously con\e_\- b\' care iull} juercing and sticking tiu-m ex|)ertly on the bill. 'rhe\ also know how to break nuts and shell-fish by dropping them ffMui a great height upor, the rocks below. They visit e\en tin snares and devour the bir Is which they find caught, attai king the weak and wounded game. 'I'hev alscj sometimes seize on young (hickens and Ducks, and have e\en been observed to I'uiaire upon Pigeons in the manner of Hawks, and with almcjst eiiral success. So familiar and audacious are they in some I'.ut^ of the Levant that they will fre(]uent the courts of houses, and. like Harpies, alight boldly (M1 the dishes, as the ser\ants are conveyiiiL^ in the dinner, and carrv off the meat, if not driven 128 SLNGLNCJ IJIRDS. away by l)lo\vs. In turn, Ikjwcvlt, the Crow finds enemies too powcrtul fur liini to conciucr, mu h as the Kite and Ivigic Owl, who occasionally make a meal of this carrion birtl, — a vorac hnis proj)en>ity which the X'irginian Owl also sometimes exhi'iijis towards the same .s[)ecies. Wherever the Crow ai)|)ears, the smaller birds take the alarm, and vent upon him tluir \\\>[ Mispicions and repnxiches, lUit it is only the redoublahic Kmi,' Uird who has courage for the attack, beginning the oii^ct by pursuing and diving on his back from above, and hariv sing the plunderer with such violence that he is generally -Lid to get out (jf the way and forego his piratical visit , in short, a single pair of these courageous and iiuarrelsome birds are Mif- ficieiit to clear the Crows from an e.\t(.nsi\e cornfield. The m(j.->t serious mischief of which the Crow is guilty i-. that of pillaging the maize-fiehl. lie commences al liic jjlanting-time 1)\- picking up and rooting out the sproiiimg grain, and in the autumn, when it becomes ripe, whole llm ,., now assembled at their roosting places, blacken the neighboring fields as soon as they get into motion, and d(^ extensive d im- age at every visit, from the excessive numbers who now ru-h lo the inviting feast. 'I'heir rendezvous or roosting-places are the resort in au- tumn of all the Crows and their families for many miles n)!inil. The blackening silent train continues to arrive for more than an hour before sunset, and some still straggle on until ilark, They never arrive in dense tlocks, but alwavs in long lines, each falling into the file as he sees opportunity. This grei: ;iii;:s inclination is common to many birds in the autumn '^ adi .associate only in pairs in the summer. The forests and ,;:i'Vi\ stripped of their agreeable and i)rotecting \erdure, seiMi ii" longer safe and pleasant to the leathered nations, i^xpo^cil ta the birds of prey, which daily augment in numbers ; j)enei'it(.ii by the chilling blasts, which sweep without control through tin naked branches, — the bird>. now impelled by an oven'iliiiL' instinct, seek in congregated numbers some general, safer, and more commodious retreat. Islands of reeds, dark and soHtarv thickets, and neglected swamps, are the situations chosi n for their i: ka V I ree(|-ili tuij of W iKuu low, lla aii'l till and tal> ()(■( lipJLN hei cinl) •^f^Misnarini: t'un 'li.vnr'c Vol.. I. CROW, 129 tluir ucneral (linrn;il retreats and roosts. Swallows, lllackbinls, Kk !• ISinls, and ( 'ruw> sccin always t(j prefer the low Nhrlter of r(.ii!-llal>. ( )n the Ri\-er I )il.iware, in lV'nns\ Ivania. iluTe are luii 111' lhe>e remarkable Crow-roosts. The one mmiioned by W iNuii is an island nrar Nr\s( astle calK-d the l'ea-1'aleh, — a low, llat, alluvial spot, just ekvated aboxe hi^di-water mark, and ihicklv covered with rreds, on which ihc Crows alight aiid take shelter for the niL;lu. Whether this roost be now (icni|/ied by tlKse liirds or not, I caiiiioi pretend t' ^ >av ; but in lit'i-mber, iSjy, 1 had occasion to observe their arri\al on k liv l^^land, just above the couunem ement of the ba\'oflhat rr. r, in vast numbers; and as the wind wafted any beating W'-mI towards the shore, they rose in a cloud and filled the air with clauKjr. Jn(i!iKliiiK> swejjt away by an unexpected de.^truclion. Some }ear.'i ago, during the prevalence of a sudden and \ioient north- east storm accompanied by heavy rains, the Tea-i'ati h l^iaiid umn wholly inundated in the night; and the unfortunate Crows, (lorniant and bewildered, made no attempts to escajve, and Were ih-owned bv thousands, so that their bodies blackened the shores the jollowing dav for si'veral miles in extent. Tile Crows, like many other birds, become injurious and forinul able onlv in the gregarious season. At other times they live M) scatteri'd. and are so shy and lautiotis, that they are I'lt seldom seen. WwX their armies, like all other great and lirrilie assemblies, have the jiower, in limited districts, of '!'iing \ery sensible mischief to the agricultural interests of the ' i^iiinianity : and in consequence, the ])oor Crows, notwith- standuig their obvious services in the destruction of a vast host t in-ects and their larvns, are proscribed as felons in all civil- I'^'-'il countries, and, with the wolves, panthers, and foxes, a I'rice is |)ut upon their heads. In consetjuence, various means "fcunaring the outlaws have been had recourse to. ( )f the gun '';. \ are very cautious, and suspect its appearance at the vol.. I. — 0 ^SSBSSSBBM I^IO SINGINC; IJIRUS. first glance, perceiving with ready sagacity the wily mannn- of till' towler. So fearful and Hns])i(i()us are they of human arti- fices that a mere line stretched round a field is ot"tcn fuimd sufficient to deter these wily birds from a visit to the coriirkld. Against jjoison they are not so guarded, and sometimes com steejK'd in hellebore is given them, which creates giddiiK'ss and death. Another curious method is that of pinning a live Crow tn th. ground by the wings, stretched out on his back, and retained in this posture by two sharp, forked sticks. In this situ;ition, his loud cries attract other ('rows, who come sweeping doun to the ])n)strate i)risoner, and are grajjpled in his claw^. hi this way each successive ]irisoner may be made the innddn; means of capturing his companion. The reeds in which th- \ roost, when dr\' enough, are sometimes set on fire also to pn cure their destruction; and to add to the fitality prochuul li\ the llames, gunners are also stationed rouml to destro\- iIm-i that atlemjn to escape by Right. In severe winters thev -111:11 occasionally from fimine and cold, and fall sometime^ iki'l in the fields. According Ut \\'ilst)n, in one of these srvcn seasons, more ih.in 600 Crows were shot on the carcase of.i dead horse, which was ])laced at a projjer shooting di-!:aiii. from a stable. The jjremiums obtained for these, and the pric procured for the (piills, ijrodured to the farmer nearly the value of the horse when living, besides affording feathers sufficient ti> fill a bed. Thi' Crow is easily raised nnd domesticated, and soon kMiii- to distinguish the ilifferent members of the family with uiiiil. he is associntt'd. He screams at the ap])roach of a str.ingtr: learns to open the door by alighting on the latch ; itti'inl- regularly at meal times : is vi'r\' noisy and locjuacious ; iniitato the sounds of various words whi( h he hears: is very thievish. given to hiding curiosities in holes and crevices, and i^ wn fond of carrving off ])ieces of metal, corn, breail. and tuoil"' all kinds : he is also ]iarticularl\- attached to the society of lib master, and recollects him sometimes after a long absence. It is commonlv believed and asserted in some pnri- ^ f th:^" kcep> ;ip,i l.ling |.; even;; ■-% 1 perclh in ire iit time Int'M- Cn)\ !'ie sfr, '.iin •iniiM.,1 in;it ilivc ^^-j !h c, tiifir [,,■ the etlat risii CROW. I u country that the Crows cngat^'c at times in general combat ; bill it Ii.is never been ascertained whether this hostiUty arises tVuin civil (Usconl, or the opposition of hoo (liHereiU .^peiies (oiitesting for some exchisive privilege of subsisting ground. Ii i> well known that Kuoks often contend with c.k h other, ,iiid dri\e away by every ])ersecuting means individuaU who arrive among them fron-t any other njokery. Xo'PK. — TIic Fi.ok;i).\ Crow (C.(tiiit'iicainisjh'ritiaiius)i\\{{i^\i> tmiu true aiitericdiius \\\ lia\ing the wiii^s and t.iil shorter, and the hill and feet larger. It is restricted to southern Florida. blSII CROW. CoRVUS OSSIIIUGUS. ('n\u. lUack glossed with stccl-l)liic. Length 15 tn \-])A inches. (•n a tree ; of sticks antl twiLis tiiiiilv lincil Willi Icavcs^ A yi ' sca-gieen or ()li\c, blotched aiul spotted with L lOU II 1.50 X 1.05. Wilson was the first to obser\'e the distinctive traits of this smalKr and pectiliar American s])ecies of Crow along the sea- coast of ( leorgia. It is met with as fir north as the coast of ev ; and although we did ntJt see it in the weste rn New jrls iiUciior of the continent, it is common, on the banks of the OrcL^'on, where it was nesting in the month of April. It k tht common species, an 1 instead of asse m- I'cps apart trom roost among the leeds at nitfht. retires, towards DM 11 to cveiia)L.% from the shores whic h afford it a stibsistence. aiK perchi \\\ the neighboring wood-. Its notes. )rol>al)lv various, ire at times hoarse and guttural, at others weaker and higher, llu'sc Crows jxiss most of tluir time near ri\ers, hovermu' o\'er tin- stream to catch u]) dead and jierhaps living fish, or other 'iiiimal matters which tloat within their reach ; at these they •live with considerable celeritv, and seizinsjf them in their claws, ioii\rv tlu" th ,f llic>- kinu a'' tin-' tis'ii- I lock I'l (,,v4 iK' riivcd to VUi- onlv T,i,,rtln;r. liLL'H JAY. C^AMiirnA rkisi.viA. •"nxR Above, piir|>li-;li l)liie; hclmv, pale |iiir]ili>li urav, li^i^hter on tliio.it anil tail-i'dvcias : w ini^.s and tail liii,L;lu blue bari-cd with black ; wiiij; C'lviTt-;. sccDiidaric^. atul most of tail-fcailuTs biMiullv linjied with wliiio Kciil cimspicnoiislv crcstcrl ; tail \vcdL;c-shapc'd. I,c-iiL;th ii to ij'< inches. .\'..>.'. In a small conifer, about 20 feet from the t^ronnd, situated iti deep f(ircst or near a settlement ; rouyhly but firmly constiiicted o( twiys aiul riiots, and lined with fine roots. /■.';,'• 4-5; pale olive or buff, sjiottcfl with yellowish brown; i 10 y o.8v Tins elegant and rommon s]")e<-ies is int't with in the interior, trom the remote northwestern regions near IVace River, in the 54th to the 56th degree, Lake Winnipeg in the 4()th degree, the eastern steppes of the Roekv Mountains, .and southwest n'ard to the hanks of the .\rkansis : also along the .\tlantic rij^'idn^ from the ronfmes of Xewfoimdland to the jieninstila of Florid. I and the shores of the ( Inlf of Mexiecj. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) /y ft// .<'^ Mis ,.« % ^ A I! 1.0 I.I 1.25 5^^!||y 112.5 - Illlll IM 2.0 U III 1.6 s m w ■c). /a o> ■':> i,"^ £ . >--^ " ■'V. / O^J /A Photographic Sciences Corporation 33 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY. 14580 (716) 872-4503 o '<^, ^7 i ^n'^' 134 SINGING DIRDS. The Blue Jay is a constant inhabitant both of the wooded wilderness and the vicinity of the settled farm, though nioro familiar at the apijroach of winter and early in spring than at any other season. These wanderings or limited migrations arc induced by necessity alone; his hoards of grain, nuts, and acorns either' have failed or are forgotten : for, like other misers, he is more assiduous to amass than to exi)end or en- joy his stores, and the fruits of his labors very fretiuently either devolve to the rats or squirrels, or accidentally assist in the replanting of the forest. His visits at this time are not uii- frequent in the garden and orchard, and his usual petulant address of djdy, Jay, Jdy, and other harsh and trumpeting articulations, soon make his retreat known to all in his neigli- borhood. So habitual is this sentinel cry of alarm, and so ex- pressive, that all the birds within call, as well as other wild animals, are instantly on the alert, so that the fowler aiul hunter become generally disa]»i)ointed of their game by this his garrulous and noisy propensity ; he is therefore, for his petulance, frequently killed without pity or profit, as his flesh, though eaten, has but little to recommend it. His more com- plaisant notes, when undisturbed, though guttural and echohii;, are by no means unpleasant, and fall in harmoniously with the cadence of the feathered choristers around him, so as to fi)rin a finishing part to the general music of the grove. His ac- cents of blandishment, when influenced by the softer passions, are low and musical, so as to be scarcely heard beyond the thick branches where he sits concealed ; but as soon as dis- covered he bursts out into notes of rage and reproach, ar( om- panying his voice by jerks and actions of temerity and defiance. Indeetl the Jay of Murope, with whom our beau agrees entirely in habits, is so irascil)le and violent in his movements as some- times to strangle himself in the narrow fork of a branch from which he has been found suspended, lake the pAiropcan spe- cies, he also exhibits a great antipathy to the Owl, and by his loud and savage vociferation soon brings together a noisy troop of all the busy birds in the neighborhood. To this garinloiis attack the night wanderer has no reply but a threatening :itare r ' BLUE JAY. '35 of indifference ; and as soon as opportunity offers, he quietly ■^\\\» from his slandering company. Advantage in some coun- tries is taken of this dislike for the purpose of catching birds ; thus the Owl, being let out of a box, sometimes makes a hoot, which instantly assembles a motley grouj), who are then caught bv Hniing the neighboring twigs on which they perch. In this giis-ili the Jay and Crow are always sure to take part if within sight or hearing of the ca//, and are thus caught or destroyed at will, i'he common Jay is even fond of imitating the harsh vni(c of the Owl and the noisy Kestrel. 1 have also heard the lihic Jay mock with a taunting accent the X-c oo, kr oo, or quail- in::, i)f the Red-shouldered Hawk. Wilson likewise heard him take singular satisfaction in teasing and mocking the little .\iiuri( an Sparrow Hawk, and imposing upon him by the i)re- tcndcd plaints of a wounded bird ; in which frolic several would apjjcar to join, until their sport sometimes ended in sudden cons'crnation, by the Hawk, . srly enough, pouncing on one of ihciii as his legitimate and devcf^d •rey. Hi> talent for mimicry when domesticated is likewise so far cajublc of improvement as to enal)le him to imitate human s]in ( h, articulating words with some distinctness ; and on hr iriii:,' voices, like a Parrot, he would endeavor to contribute hi> important share to the tumult. Ijewick remarks of the (tiniiuon Jay of Europe that he heard one so exactly coimter- fiit the action of a saw that, though on a Sunday, he could s( arc ily be persuaded but that some carpenter was at work. Amithtr. unfortunately, rendered himself a serious nuisance by lianiiiii,' to hound a cur dog upon the domestic cattle, whistling and , and does not even refuse the humble fare of jjotatoes. In times of scarcity he falls upon carrion, and has been known to venture into the l)arn, through accidental openings ; when, a^ if sensible of the danger of i)urloining, he is active and siKnt, and if surprised, pcistponing his garrulity, he retreats with noiseless precii)itation and with all the cowardice of a thic t. The worst trait of his appetite, however, is his lelish for the eggs of other birds, in quest of which he may frecjiiently he seen prowling ; and with a savage cruelly he sometimes alM) devours the callow young, sjjreading the plaint of sorrow ;inil alarm wherever he flits. The whole neighboring community of little birds, assembled at the cry of distress, sometimes, \vn\-- ever, succeed m driving off the ruthless plunderer, who, not always content with the yoimg, has been seen to attack the oil, though with dubious success; but to the gallant and (luainl- some King llird he submits like a coward, and driven to seek shelter, even on the ground, from the repeated blows of hi> antagonist, sneaks off well contented to save his life. Although a few of these birds are seen with us nearly through the winter, numbers, no doubt, make predatory excursions to milder regions, so that they appear somewhat abundant at this season in the Southern States ; yet they are known to rear their young from Canada to South Carolina, so that their mignitions may be nothing more than journeys from the high!. mis towards the warmer and more productive sea-coast, or eastern frontier. Kast of the Mississippi the Blue Jay has beea rarely seen north of the 50th parallel. Note. — A smaller race, whicli differs also from true cristdtd in having less wliite on the tii)s of the secondaries and tail-feathers, has been named the Florida Di.ri-: Jav (C. cristatajioriiuohi). It is found in Florida only. FLORIDA JAV. ^17 FLORIDA JAV. ApHI:L( )C( )MA ri,(JKII tANA. ("II \R. Above, dull azure blue; back with patch of l)ro\vni.sh ^r^iy ; till I at and chest r^rayish white streaked with ashy; belly, bruwiiish gray. Nil iicst , tail longer than wing. Length lo.'i to 12/2 inches. Xcst. Ill low tree or thicket of bushes ; made of twigs and roots, lined with fine roots and moss. /•';VJ. 4-5; pale green or bluish gray, spotted with rutous and black , I 10 X oSo. This elegant species is, as far as yet known, almost wholly (oiirinc'd to the interior of the mild peninsula of l^ast l"i(;ri'la. Ill a tour through the lower parts of (leorgia and \\'csl l-lhy grounds, feeds largely on the seeds of the sword-i)ahnetto : and, in the manner of the Titmouse, it secures its f(jo|innu in (juest of insects and small shells. According to Mr. Hutchins, like the Tie, when near the habitations and tents of the inhabitants and natives, it is given U) pilfering everything within reach, and is sometimes so bold a:^ t.) venture into the tents and snatch the meat from the (li>lns even, whether fresh or salt. It has also the mischievous sa.n.ieity of watching the hunters set their traps for the Martin, fnnn which it purloins the bait. Its apjjetite, like that of the Criiw. ajjjjcars omnivorous. It feeds on worms, various insects, and their larva;, and on flesh of different kinds ; lays uj) stores of berries in hollow trees for winter ; and at times, with the reindeer, is driven to the necessity of feeding on lichens. ilu- severe winters of the wilds it inhabits, urges it to seek sii]i])iirt in the vicinity of habitations. Like the common Jay, at this season it leaves the woods to make excursions after foiid. trying every means for subsistence; and lamed by hun- gir, it seeks boldly the society of men and animals. These liinls are such praters as to be considered Mocking Hirds, and are Miperstitiously dreaded by the aborigines. They com- iiiMiily ily in pairs or rove in small families, are no way difficult til ipproach, and keep up a kind of friendly chattering, some- tniu s repeating their notes for a f|uarter of an hour at a time, immediately before snow or falling weather. \\'he;n caught, they seldom long survive, though tliey never neglect their food, l.ike most of their genus, they breed early in the spring, build- ing their nests, which are formed of twigs and grass in the pine- trees. They lay 4 to 6 light-grayish eggs, faintly marked with briiwn spots. The young brood, at first, are perfect Crows, or nearly ([uite blacli, and continue so for some time. Aeeording to Richardson, this inelegant but familiar bird 140 si\(;iN(; I'.iRDs. inhabits all the woody districts of ihi- rcnioto fui countries from the 65th parallel lo Canada, and now and then m severe um ters extends his desultory inij^Tations within the norllurn liiiii!> of the United States. S( arc ely has the winter traveller in tin m cold regions chosen a suitable jjlace of repose in the \\>i\^\. cleareil away the snow, lighted his fire, and prepared his ti m. when Whiskey Jack insidiously i)ays him a visit, and bol(!l\ descends int(i the social circle to ])i(k up any crumbs of fnviii fish or morsels of dry meat that may have escajied the nu)iiih> of the weary and hungry sledge-dogs. 'Ihis (onfidence is alnioi^t the only recommendation of our familiar intruder. 'I'luit h nothing pleasing in his voice, i)lumage. or attitudes, liut ihi> dark, sinister dwarf of the North is now the only inhabitaiii uf those silent and trackless forists, and trusting from necessii\ m the forbearance of man, he fearlessly ai)proaches, and c i:i\.> his allowed pittance from the wandering stranger who visits lib dreary domain. .\t tlie fur posts and fishmg stations he is :i1m) a steaily attendant, becoming so tamed in the winter In the terrible inclemency of the climate as to eat tamely from the offered hand ; yet at the same time, wild and intloi litiblc under this garb of humility, he seldom survives long in conliiu - ment, and jjines away with the loss of his accustomed libi iiy. He hops with activity from branch to branch, but when at n-[, sits with his head drawn in, and with his plumage loose, i lie voice of this inelegant bird is plaintive and scpieaking. thdiiiih he occasionally makes a low chattering, especially when hi^ hunl appears in view. Like our IMue Jay, he has the habit of hoird- ing berries, morsels of meat, etc., in the hollows of tree> or beneath their bark. These magazines prove useful in winter, and enable him to rear his hardy l)ro()d even before the (li>ii»- pearance of the snow from the ground, and long befon- any other bird indigenous to those climates. The nest is concealed with such care that but few of the natives have seen it. Whiskey Jack has evidently moved somewhat southward since Nuttall made iiis observations, for the species is now a fairly roni- men resident of the AFaritime Provinces of Canada, as wJi i- '>l the northern portions of .^'aine, New Hampshire, \'ermont, New CANADA JAV 141 V.iik, anil Micliijjan. Near Ottawa, and in the Muskoka district (,| ( )iitari(), it occurs rcLjularly. tlinut;Ii it is not .il)iindant. In Oc- tiilnjr, 1.SS9, one example was taken at Arlington Hei;j;lits, near Boston. I c.x.unined a nest taken near Edmundston, New Hninswick. on Ainil 7. i'S83. at which date the country there was covircd with siiiiw and ice. The nest was jjlaced on a small tret.' near the main liJM'uvay. and not many hundred yards from the railroad station. A> tlu' cold in that rcLjion is intense, the temperature often heinsj; at ^o'^ to — 40° F. in midwinter, it is surprisintj that the eggs are ivi r hatched. Uut the nest is made very warm, and the birds sit Idsi . and when one jjarent ste])s off the otiier at once steps on. lU llie tirsl of June tlie young are in full feather and taking care of thiiusclves. Xutt. ill's o|)inion that these birds ai)pt.ar bold and familiar only u'uii pri'ssed by the hunger of wiiiti r. h.is not found suppoit in my LXiJL-nence. l'"re(|Uently when camping m the New llrunswick woods during the summer vacation I have seen numbers of these liinls gather about my cami)-tn-e within a few minutes after it has JHiii lighted: and they did not hesitate to pick up a piece of meat thrown toward them. Several other observers, however, have re- corded a similar opinion to NuttalTs: and it mav be that tiie fearles.s hinls ar re restricted to localities where thev ; re not disturbed. 'i"he Canadian hunters and lumbermen have a sujx'rstitious rtspLHt for these birds, fearini(^rii<7/>i/if<) diffi is Irom true lUiuK/t-iisis in being darker in general coloration It is restricted to the coast region of Labrador. .ll''>.,.l'>'*-' TUFn:i) rrrMOLSK. I'akls incoLoK. ClIAK. Above, bluish ash; beneath, dull white; flanks tinged wiih yellowish brown ; foieliead black , head conspicuously crested. Lcn-tii 5^*4 to 6/3 inches. .\\s/. In a cavity of a tree or slump ; conii)osctl of leaves, uiosm, ui woollen material, lined with feathers. .^A'V-i- 5-!^ » white or pale cream, spoiled with reddish brown; 0.73 X 0.55. From the geogr;i])hir limits of this si)ecies, as it occurs to me, I am incUned to lieHevc that the bird seen in (Ireenlaml may be tUfferent from the i)resent, as it scarcely ajipears to exist north beyond the States of Pennsylvania or New \'()rk. They are seldom, if ever, seen or heard in this part of Massa- chusetts, and insteatl of being more alnrndant to the north, ,b believed by Wilson, they are probably not known there at all. In the Southern States, at least in winter and spring, they :m very common, and present all the usual habits and notes of tlir genus. The numbers which I saw in the Southern States tVom January to March would seem to indicate a migratory liabii . but whether they had arrived from the Northeast, or from the great forests of the West, coul I'l Dili ha 111 . )U1 I IK' ra( U'l- il anil nil the ill lev, ( '.Mil'.- ' V h- ir in the midtllc of January, when at K-ast the lealless trees ;inil (lark cloudy skies remind us of the coldest season, the lively. ( heering, varied \)\\k- of this active and hardy bird, is |,articularly gratifying; and though his voice on jiaper may ap- jiiar to present only a list of ([uaint articulations, yet the deli- cac )■, energy, pathos, and variety of his simple song, like many oilier things in Nature, are far beyond the feeble power of (Km ription ; and if in these rude graphic outlines of the inim- iia! le music of birds I am able to draw a caricature sufti( lent to indic ate the individual performer, I shall have attained all the object to be hojjcd for in an allempl at natural delineation. The notes of the I'eto generally jiartake of the high, e( ho- inu, clear tone of the lialtimore Uird. Among his mtjre extra- ordinary expressions I was struck with the call of 'iK'hip-fom- kilh killy, and now and then 'u'/i// torn hlly. with occasionally Millie variation in the tone and expresNion, whi< h was \ery lively and agreeable. 'I'he middle syllable {t'oiii) was pro- nounced in a hollow reverberating tone. In a few minutes afur the subject and its variations were finished, m the isiiina- tion of the musical ])erformer, he suddenly twisted lumself roimd the branch on which he had sat, with a variety of odd and fantastic motions; and then, in a lower, hoar^icr, harsh voire, and in a peevish tone, exa< tly like that (A tlu- Ja. and tile Chickadee, went (/ayi/ay-i/ay-ddw and t/iry-(/(i\-,/('n-,/in- i/d:f: sometimes this loutl note changed into one which be came low and querulous. On some ot these occasions he al^o called 'ts/iica ih'c-dcc. The jarring call would then change occasionally into kai-h't'-iiiJ (/it/-i/i/-i/ii/. 'These peevish notes Would often be uttered in anger at being ap])roached ; ;;nil then again would ])erhaps be answered by some neighboring rival, against whom they appeared levelled in taunt and ridi- cule, being accompanied by extravagant gestures. I. Her in the season, in {•"ebruarv, when in the lower part of Al iliima the mild influence of spring began already to be felt, our favorite, as he gayly pursued the busy tribe of insect>, now hb principal food, called, as he vaulted restlessly from branch to branch, in an echoing rapid voice, at short intervals, />i-td- 144 SINClINd niKDS. />rfth/>t/o/'i W. I his tender (all of ri< o^nilioii was at kii-ili ani\\\'rc'(l, and (:(jntintu' />r/t> />f/o ; iinl now the natural note passed into thr |ilanuivc kt'\, soiinijiiii,' like (///I ii/i i/z/t'-ii/i , then in the same breath a jarring noti' likt' that of the Catbird, and in part like the sound m.ide by pit- ting the lower li]) to the upper teeth, and calling 'A//' (Ui/i, 7>//' ni/i. After thi^ the call of /.•m \- lurry- Lrrry-ktrry stru( k \\\) with an echoing sound, heightened by the hollow bank of the river whence it ])roceeded. At length, more ilelicatcly than it rn>il. 111 an iiinler tone, you hear anew, and in a tender nc 1 1 iit. pi/i> />(■/<> />{/(i. In the caprice and humor of our perforiiKT, tied by no rules but those of momentary feeling, the e.xpre^Mun will perhaps change into a >.V)\\ and full /(.Mrches and pecks decayed trees and their bark with ]i (,r side ; composed of wool or innfr fur of small mammals firmly aiul compactly felted. Sometimes moss and hair are used, aiKl a liniiv^ of feathers. .£;;i,'j'. 5-1S ; while speckled with 1 eddish brown, 060 X 0.50. This familiar, Iianly, and restless little bird chiefly inhabits the Northern and Middle States as well as Canada, in \vhi( h it is even resident in winter around Hudson's l>ay, and has been met with at 62° on the northwest coast. In all the Northern and Middle States, during autumn and winter, families of these birds are seen chattering and r(,\iiig through the woods, busily engaged in gleaning their multifarious food, along with Nut- hatches and Creepers, the whole forming a busy, active, and noisv group, whose manners, food, and habits bring them together in a comn.on pursuit. Their diet varies with the season ; for besides insects, their larvai and eggs, of which they are more particularly fond, in the month of September they leave the woods and assemble familiarly in our orchards and gardens, and even enter the thronging cities in quest of ih.it sup]iort which their native forests now deny them. 1 ir^'o seeds of many kinds, particularly those which are oily, as the sunflower and pine and spruce kernels, are now sought after. These seeds, in the usual manner of the genus, are sei/cd in the claws and held against the branch until picked ojien by the bill to obtain their contents. Fat of various kinds is also greedily eaten, and they regularly watch the retreat of the hog- killers in the country, to glean u]-> the fragments of meat whieh adhere to the i)laces where the carcases have been suspciideii. At times they (i^ed upon the wax of the candle-berry myrtle {.^ryriia cfrifcra) ; they likewise pick up crumbs near the houses, and search the weather-boards, and even the window-sills, j Mov CHICKADEE. 147 ly aiul \\\y' of huh it IS hern (irllicrn .)f these s. busily ith Nnt- :ive, and ng them fainirarly for their lurking prey, and arc particularly fond of spid' rs and the eggs of destructive moths, especially those of the canker-worm, which they greedily destroy in all its stages of existence. It is said that they sometimes attack their own si)icies when the intlividual is sickly, and aim their blows at the skull with a view to eat the brain ; but this barbarity 1 have iie\er witnessed. In winter, when satisfied, they will descend to the snow-bank beneath and (piench their thirst by swallow- ing small pieces ; in this way their various and frugal meal is ahvays easily supplied ; and hardy, and warmly clad in light and very downy feathers, they suffer little inconvenience from the inclemency of the seasons. Indeed in the winter, or about the (lose of (Jctober, they at times appear so enlivened as already to show their amorous attachment, like our domestic cock, the male approaching his mate with fluttering and vibra- ting,' wings ; and in the spring season, the males have obstinate engagements, darting after each other with great velocity and anger. Their roost is in the hollows of decayed trees, where they also breed, making a soft nest of moss, haii, and feathers, anil laying from six to twelve eggs, which are white, with ^|)e( ks of l)rown-red. They begin to lay about the middle or (lose of April ; and though they commonly make use of natiu'al or deserted holes of the \\'(jOil])ecker, yet at times they are sail! [{) excavate a cavity for themselves with much labor. The first l)ro(jd take wing about the 7th or loth of June, and they have sometimes a second towards the cm\ of July. The young, as soon .as fledged, have all the external marks of the adult, — the head is e(iually black, and they chatter and skip about with '1' the agility and self-j^ossession of their parents, who ap])Lar nevertheless very solicitous for their safety. l''rom this time the whole fimiily continue to associate together through the autumn and winter. They seem to move by concert from tree to tree, keeping up a continued ' ti)u'-i1c-th'-(fr-di\ and Ushc- dc-dt-dc-Jait^ preceded by a shrill whi-.tle. all the while busily engaged picking round the buds and branches hanging from their extremities and proceeding often in reversed postures, head downwards, like so many tumblers, pr)'ing into every 148 SINGING BIRDS. crevice of the bark, and searching around the roots anrl in every possible retreat of their insect prey or its larvae. If the object chance to fall, they industriously descend to the ffrouml and glean it up with the utmost economy. On seeing a cat or other object of natural antipathy, \\\v Chickadee, like the peevish Jay, scolds in a loud, angry, and hoarse note, like '/s/ic tidii^h ddi};h (/dii^h. Among the oiin r notes of this s])ecies I have heard a call like /s/if-dr-Jay, tslir- iii'-jit\\ the two first syllables being a slender chirp, with the jax strongly pronounced. Almost the only note of this bird which may be called a song is one which is frequently heard at iut'-r- vals in the depth of the forest, at times of the day usually when all other birds are silent, ^^'e then may sometimes hear in the midst of this solitude two feeble, drawling, clearly whistled, .ind rather melancholy notes, like 'tc-dary, and sometimes 'iv- pcnit, and occasionally, but mu( h more rarely, in the same wiry, whistling, solemn tone, '/v/i/'c. The young, in winter, also sometimes drawl out these contemplative strains. In all < a^cs the first syllable is very high and clear, the seccjnd word diojis low and ends like a feeble plaint, this is nearly all the ([u nut song ever attempted by the Chickadee, and is |)erhaps the uvo notes sounding like the whetting of a saw, remarked of tlic Marsh Titmouse in England by Mr. White,- in his " Natural History of Selborne." On fine days, about the commencenunt of October, I have heard the Chickadee sometimes for half an hour at a time attempt a lively, petulant warble very ilifk rent from his ordinary notes. On these occasions he appear-- to flit about, still hunting for his ]irey, but almost in an ecsta-v of delight and vigor. lUit after a while the usual drawling note again occurs. These birds, like many others, are verv sulijtTt to the attacks of vermin, and they accumulate in great nunil)or.s around that part of the head and front which is least accessible to their feet. The European bird, so very similar to ours, is partial to marshy situations. Ours has no such predilection, nor d'l the American ones, that I can learn, ever lay up or hide any -'ore of seeds for provision, — a habit reported of the foreign family. CHICKADEE. 149 Til this fact, with so many others. \vc have an adilitional cvi- (h IK c of affinity bt'twccn the 'ritmousf and jay, p rtic.iilarly lii.il shorl-l>illc(l section which incliKks the i'nirruiiis caiin- j.iisis anil G. iiifaiistus, Even the blue color, so comnion \\;'h the latter, is possessed by several species i)f this genus. Ill' lied, from their aggregate relation and omnivorous habit wt ^ee no better place of arrangement for these birds than hill I inctly after the (larruii, or Jays. following the authority of Temminck and Montagu, I con- si' lered this bird the same as the luirojiean Marsh Titmouse. I i; i\e since sen the bird of Europe in its native countty. and hive good reason to believe it wholly different from our lively ami fmiiliar Chickadee. L'nlike our bird, it is rather shy, seldom siiu but in ])airs or solitary, never in domestic premises, usu- ;illy and almost constantly near streams or watercourses, on till' willows, alders, or other small trees im]ieniling over >iri:iins, and utters now and then a feeble complaining or (|iu nilous call, and rarely if ever the chicka dvc-dcc. It also 111 kcs a noise in the spring, as it is said, like the whetting of a M\v, which ours never does. The Chickadee is seldom seen luir waters; often, even in summer, in dry, shady, and se- iliuli'd woods; but when the weather becomes cold, and as early as October, roving families, pressed by necessity and the fiilure of their ordinary insect fare, now begin to fre(iaent iinhirds and gardens, appearing extremely familiar, himgry, iiiiliLr'Ht. but industrious, prying with restless anxiety into every craiinv of the bark or holes in decayed trees after dormant in- sc( ts. -piders, and larvne, descending with the strictest economv til the ground in (piest of every stray morsel of provision which tiappens to fall from their gras]). Their ipiaint notes and jing- ling warble are heard even in winter on fine days when the wiMtlier relaxes in its severity ; and. in short, instead of being the river hermit of its l-Airopean analogue, it adds by its presence, indomitable action and chatter, an air of cheerful- ness to the silent and dreary winters of the coldest parts of America. I^O SINCilNG BIRDS. CAROIJNA CHICKADEE. PaRUS CAROLINKNSIS. Char. Above, ashy gray tinged with dull brown ; head and throat blaci< ; cheek white; beneath, brownish white; lianks buttisli. l,eiij;Ui 4J4 to 4'^^ inches. .\r.iA In a cavity of decayed stunij), comi)osed of grass vr slued- of bark, and lined with feathers. Sometimes composed entirely of fui ..r fine wool felted comi)actly. £i,';i;s. 5-8; white often spotted with reddish brown ; 0.60 X 0.50. This species, detected by Mr. Aiidub<'^ is a constant iiilub- itant of the Southern and NLiddle States from the bonk i> ut New Jersey to Mast Florida. It has a predilection for the borders of ponds, marshes, and swamps, and less gregirious than the preceding, seldom mo*-e than a pair or family are seen together. It is also shy and retiring ; inhabiting at all times a mild and genial clime, it never seeks out donicMic premises, nor even the waysides, but, like the European Mar-h Titmouse, it remains throughout the year in the tangled wo. ids and swamps which gave it birth. In the wilds of Oregon l,,tc in autimin we fref|uently saw small roving restless flocks of these birds associated often with the Chestnut- 1 Jacked sjK'cies. At such times both parties were f[uenilous and noisy ; but the /s/if ti' (/(' (/(' is comparatively feeble, uttered in a slender, wiry tone. At such times intently gleaning for insects, they show \ rry little fear, but a good deal of sympathy for their woimdcd com- panions, remaining rotmd them and scolding in a petulant and plaintive tone. At the approacdi of winter those in the Atlan- tic region retire farther to the south, and on the Pacific border they are to be seen in winter in the woods of Upper California : but in no instance did we see them approach the vicinity of the trading posts or the gardens. A nest of this species discovered by Dr. Bachman was in a hollow stump about four feet from the ground ; it was rather shallow, composed of fine wool, cotton, and some fibns of lants, the whole fitted together so as to be of an unifjrin thickness throughout, and contained pure white eggs. IIUDSUNIAN CHICKADEE. lil HUDSONIAN CHICKADEE. Pauls hudsonicus. ( iiAR. Above, pale dull brown, darker on crown; cheeks white; Ij'.i'iu, grayish while; Hanks rusty; liuuat brownish blaik. length 5 to 5'4- .\', 7. In an excavation in a decayed stump, usually entering from the top. On the bottom of the cavity is placed a plattorm 'if dried ni'<>-, and oil this another of felted fur, and upon this latter is set the giaeclul pouch- shaped nest of firm felt, made of the inner fur of small mannnaN. /.,;Vf' 6-ro ; creamy white with brown spots in a circle around ihc lars;tr end ; 0.5S X 0.56. This more than usually hardy s})ecics continues the whole year about Severn River, braving the inclemency of the winters, ami frequents the juniper-bushes on the buds of \vhi< h it feeds. \n winter, like the common species, it is seen roving alniut ill small tlocks, busily foraging from tree to tn/e. It is sai(l to lay five eggs. Mr. .Audubon met with it on the C(ust of I^ib- rador, where it was breeding, about the middle of Julv. He tksi ribes the nest as being i)laced at the height of not more than three feet from the ground, in the hollow of a d< r.iyt-d low stump scarcely thicker than a man's leg, the whole so rotten that it crumbled to pieces on being touched. It was sli,iii(.'il like a purse, eight inches in depth, two in diameter in- siiK'. its sides about a half an inch thick. It was comitoscd of the finest fur of different quadrupeds, so thickly matted through- out that it looked as if it had been felted by the hand of man, ( Ml the nest being assailed, the male flew at the intruder, utter- iii:,' m angry te-tc-tc-tcc. The Hudson Hay Chickadee is fairly common in the Maritime I'lovinres, liiough more abundant in winter than in summer. It Iia^ lui n found breeding, also, in the northern parts of .Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and Micliigan, and in the Muskoka districts ot Ontario. Mr. Walter Faxon considers it a rare tiiou^h n-milar niiL;rant to the eastern part of Massachusetts, but thinks it occur.** ill iiiiiiihers in winter amid the Herkshire hills. One example has been taken in Connecticut, and one in Rhode Isl.r.J. M2 SINGING BIRDS. BOHEMIAN WAXWING. A-MPliUS GARRULUS. Cn\R. Prevailing color cinnamon brown or fawn color, darkt r on front licad and checks, changing to ashy on riniip; ciun and line ,u rn>s fcjrL-iRad and through the eyes, rich black; wings and tail slat\ ; tail tiijpcd with ycUosv ; primaries tipped with white, secondaries with a| I'cn dagcs like red sealing-wax. Head with long jiointcd crest. I.engili 7H to.S;4 inches. I'iasily distinguished from the Cedar ISird by its larger si/c and darker color. ,\V>A In a tree, a bulky structure of twigs and roots, lined with feathers. ■^.&'' 3~S> Wuish white spotted with lilac and brown ; 100 X 0.70. The Waxwing, of which stragglers are occasionally soin in Nova Scotia, jSIassachiisetts, Long Island, and the vicinitv of Philadeljjhia, first observed in America in the vicinity ol' the Athabasca River, near the region of the Rocky Mountain--, in the month of March, is of common occurrence as a passmmr throughout the colder regions of the whole northern hiini- sphere. Like our (ledar Birds, they associate in ntmunnis flocks, pairing only for the breeding season ; after whi( h the young and old give way to their gregarious habits, and collec- ting in numerous companies, they perform extensive joiniuvs, and are extremely remarkable for their great and irreL,Mil.ir wanderings. The circumstances of incubation in this spii ics are wholly unknown. It is supposed that they retire {o the remote regions to breed ; yet in Norway they are only binl^ of passage, and it has been conjectured that they pass the suni- mer in the elevated table-land of C'entral Asia. Wherever tiuv dwell at this season, it is certain that in spring and late atiiuiim they visit northern Asia or Siberia and eastern Europe in v,i>t nimibers, but are elsewhere only uncertain stragglers, whose ;ij»- ])earance, at different times, has been looked upon as ominuus of some disaster by the credulous and ignorant. The Waxen Chatterers, like our common Cedar Birds, a])- pear destitute of song, and only lisp to each other their usual low, reiterated call of ze ze re, which becomes more audible ! liOIlKMIAX WAXWINd. ^53 with wlun they are disturbctl and as they take to \vinL,^ '! luy are alMi very sociable anil aflectujnate to their whole fraternity, and ■'it in rows often on the same branch, when not eniployetl in I illn ling their food, which is saiear Lake about the 24th of May, when they feed on t!u' berries of the alpine arbutus, marsh vacciniuin, and otlur kinds exposed again to the surface after the spring thaw. AiiMthtT tlock of three or four hundred individuals was seen on tlu' hanks of the Saskatchewan, at CaHt(Mi Mouse, early in the same month. In their usual manner they all settled together on one or two trees, and remained together about tiie same plai L' for an hour in the morning, making a loud twittering noi^e, and were too shy to be approached within gunshot. Tin ir stay at most did not exceed a few days, and none of the Indians knew of their nests; though the doctor had reason to b(.ln\e that they retired in the breeding season to the broken and desolate mountaindimestone districts in the 67th or 6.Sth ]>iralkls, where they find means to feed on the fruit of the connnon juniper, so abundant in that (juarter. Neitlier Mr. Town^end nor myself observed this bird either in the Columbia Rivir district or on the Rocky Mountains. Tlu' Bohemian is still a rover of uncertain and irregular habits. ocra.^ionally in winter appearing along tiie nortliern hnifler of the L'iiitcd States and through the settled portions of Canada in large tiocks, Init sometimes absent for several seasons. Colonel (loss fouiKl a nest in Labrador, and several luue been taken in tlie Northwest. 154 SINGING IJIKDS. CEDAR WAXWIXG. CEDAK blKD. CllIiKKY BIRD. A.Ml'KLIS CEURORUM. Char. Prevailing color cinnamon br(nvn or fawn color, changing to ashv nil rump ; chin and line across forchcail aiul through eyes, rich M.ick, wings and tail slaty; tail tipped with yellow; secondaries sonietinio with red, wax-like appendages. Head with long, pointed crest. Length oj^ to 7/i inches. A'ls/. In a tree , large and loosely made of twigs and grass, lined with grass, hair, or feathers. ACi'-f- 3-5 ; bluish white spotted with lilac and brown ; 0.S5 X 0.60. This common native wanderer, which in simimer extends its migrations to the remotest unpeopled regions of Canada, is also found throughout the American continent to Me.xico, and parties even roam to the tropical forests of Cayenne. In all this extensive geographical range, where great elevation or latitude tempers the climate so as to be favorable to the produ( lion of juicy fruits, the Cedar iJird will probably be found either almost wholly to reside, or to pass the season of rejirodiK tion. Like its European representative (the Waxen Chatterer), it is callable of braving a considerable degree of cold ; for in I Vim sylvania and New Jersey some of these birds are seen thronji- out the winter, where, as well as in the early part of the summer and fall, they are killed and brought to market, gen- erally fat, and much esteemed as food. Silky softness of jilumage, gentleness of dis|)osition, innocence of character, extreme sociability, and an innate, inextinguishable love of freedom, accompanied by a constant desire of wandcrini:. are characteristic traits in the physical and moral ix)rtrait of the second as well as the i)receding species of this peculiar and extraordinary genus. Leaving the northern part of the continent, situated beyond the 40th degree, at the approach of winter, they assinible in companies of twenty to a hundred, and wander through the Southern States and Mexico to the confines of the equator, in CEDAR WAXWING. J55 all of which countries they are now either common or abun- (l.iiu. As t)bserved by Audubon, their llight is easy, continued, aii'i otiiu piTlurmed at a considerable height; and they move in il'K ks or ( ompanies, making several turns before they alight. A> the miklness of spring returns, and with it their favorite tuDil, they reappear in the Northern and Eastern States about tlie beginning of April, before the ripening of their favorite fnuts. the cherries and mulberries. JUit at this seascm, to re- pa} the gardener for the tithe of his crop, their natural due, tiny tail not to assist in ridding his trees of more deadly ene- nuis which infest them, and the small cateri)illars, beetles, and various insects now constitute their only food ; and for hoxns at a time they may be seen feeding on the all-despoiling canker- worius which infest our api)le-trees and elms. On these oc- casions, silent and sedate, after ])lentifully feeding, they sit (In sMiig their feathers in near contact on the same branch to the number of 5 or 6 ; and as the season of selective attach- nu'Ut ajjproaches, they may be observed pluming each other, r.nd ( aressmg with the most gentle fondness, — a ])laytulness in which, however, they are even surpassed by the contemned Ravtii, to which social and friendly family our Cedar bird, ihttVnnt as he looks, has many traits of alliance. But these (Kln(lIl^trations of attachment, which in a more vigorous kind would kindle the feud of jealousy, a])i)arently produce in this hinl scarcely any diminution of the general social tie ; and as they ire gregarious to so late a i)eriod of the inviting season of in( uhation, this affection has been supjjosed to be independent (it sexual distinction. This friendly trait is carried so far that an eye-witness assures me he has seen one among a row of the>e birds seated upon a branch dart r.fter an insect, and offer it to his associate when caught, who very disiiUi'restedly ])asseil It to the next, and each delicately declining the offer, tlu' morsel has proceeded backwards and forwards before it was appro- priated. Whatever may hv the fact, as it regards this peculiar sorial)ility. it frequently facilitates the means of their destruc- tion with the thoughtless and rapacious sportsman, who, be- cause many of these unfortunate birds can be killed in an 156 SINCllNCi UIKDS. instant, siilinj,' in tlic same niiiLii', thinks the exercise of the ^\n\ m\\s{ be credili'd only l)y the havoc which it produces against a friendly, useful, and innocent visitor. Towards the close of May or bej^nnning tif June the (In irv l)irds. now paired, commence tunning the ( radle of their ynim:,'; yet still so sociable are they that several ni-sts may be obserwd in the same vicinity. The materials and trees chosen for tlnii labors are various, as well as the tfenera! markinj,'s of their t l;l;v 'i"wo nests, in the I'xjtanic (larden at Cambridge, were fonmd in small hemlock-trees, at the distance of i6 or iS feet 11.1111 the grotmd, in the forks of the main br inches. One of tlioc was composed of dry, ccjarse grass, interwoxen roughly with a con^iidi'rable (piantity of dead hemlock sprigs, furtlur n>u- nected by a small (iu;nitity of silk-wee• pteniher a brood, in tills vicinity, were yet in the nest. riic ]K'riod of silting' is about 15 or 16 days; and wiiiie tiie vuiiiii,' are still hel|)less, it is surprisiuLC to witness the silence of the ]Mrents, utterintf no cries, nor uiakinL; any approaches to tliiiM' who may cndanj,'er or jeopard the safi-ty of their brood ; >lill. ihey are llyiiiL,' round, and silently watching the dreaded rcsuh, and approach the nest the moment the intruder disap- pciiN. They feed the young, at fu'st, with insects and smooth ( .itiipillars ; but at thi' vm\ of tlu' _^d or 4th day the\' are t"ed, \\lv the old ones, almost e\clusi\i'ly on sweet and juicy fruits, >U( h as whortle and service berries, wilerched, to my arm for toiid : hut the moment he wis satisfied, he avoided the cage, ;tnd appeared unable to survive the loss of liberty. He now laine seldomer to me, and finally joined the lisi)ing muster-c-ry "f /:'• he he, and was enticed away by more attractive associates. When young, nature provided him with a loud, impatient voice, and /<■-,//(/, te-iiiii, kai-tiurid (often also the clamorous cry of I5S si\f;iN(; lUKOs. tin- younj; I'.altimorc), was his (li'afcning and almost inrcssint call for food. AiiotlitT yoiinj,' bird of the first brood, i)r()liiIiK- ncglc(:tcirds. who fre(|iiented the front of his house in (|uest of hoiiiv sii< kle berries, at length, on receiving food (])robably alM) abandoned by his roving parents), threw himself wholly on hi> protection. At large day and night, he still ngiilarly atttiidcd the dessert of the dimier-tabU- for his portion of fruit, au'l n maineil steadfast in his attachment to Mr. W. till killed \>\ >u accident, being unfortunately trodden under foot. Though harmless, exci'edingly gentle and artKss, they tn.ikc some show of dcfince when attac ked ; as a second bird ulm h I brought up, destitute of the red appentlages on the \mii_-. when threatened elevated his crest, looked angry, and repi a cdly snapped with his bill. Almost all kinds of sweet berries are sotight for food b\ tin- American Waxen-wing. In search of whortle-berries, tJKV retire in Pennsylvania to the western motmtain-chains of thu Alleghany raiige ; and in autunui. until the a])proach of wiiitrr. they are e(|ually attached to tlie berries of the \'irginia jiuiiprr. as well as those of the sour-gum tree ami the wax-uiutlt They also feed late in the season on rii)e persimmons, >-iii ill winter-grapes, bird-cherries, the fruit of the pride of Chin... and (jther fruits. The kernels and seeds of these, uninjured In the action of the stomac h, ate strewed about, and thus aci i- dentally plantt-d in abundance whi'rever these birds frecjucin. Like their ])rototype, tlie ]ireceding species, the migration-, and time and place of breeding, are iniluenced by their siijijil} of food. In the spring of iSji they arrived in this viciniiy a- usual ; but in consefpience of the failure of cherries, scarcely any were bred, and very few were either to be heard or seen in the vicinity. In parts of New England this bird is known by the name of the Canada Robin ; and by the French Cana- dians it is fancifully called Rccollct, from the color of its crest resembling that of the hood of this religious order. nnrtl' NORTHERN SIIRIKL:. BUTCHER BIRD. I, AMIS li()Kl;.M.lS. Cll \K. Ahovi', l)liii>li asli, paler on nunp ; uikKt parts dull wliilu, with fint \\.i\ y liiiL> of l)ro\viii>h i^rav ; h.ir on side ol head Mack ; \vin,i;> and tail bl.u k tipjud \\i:h whilu; while patch on wiiii;; outer tail I'catlui^ tthiic. l.ciij;lii 9 '4 to I0;V inches. .\c !. in a tree or low Ijusli ; large and roughly made of sticks and gra^s lin.d with leaves or feathc-s. E.: 4-6; dull gray with green tint, spotted with lilac and brown ; 1.05 / 0.75. This little wary Northern hunter is most r.ommonly seen in this part of the continent at the conimenrement of winter, ;i few remaining with us throtighout that season. They exte'nd their wanderings, according to .Xuduhon. as fir as Natcluv. and are not uncommon in Kentucky in severe winters. In March they retire to the North, though some take up thrir Miinincr abode in the thickest forests in Pennsylvania and New i'.iii;! iiul. The nest is said to be large and cotn])act, in the '"rk of a small tree, and sometimes in an apple-tree, comiiosed ixtcmally of dried grass, with whitish moss, and well lined with f'-'athers. The eggs are about 6, of a pale cinereous white, i6o SINGING BIRDS. thickly marked at tiic greater end with spots and streaks of rufous. Tile period of sitting is about 15 days. The young appear early in June or the latter end of May. 'I'he principal food of this species is large insects, sue h as grasshoj)pers, crickets, and spiders. With the surplus of the former, as well as small birds, he disposes in a very singular manner, by impaling them upon thorns, as if thus providing securely for a future supply of provision. In the abundance, however, which surrounds him in the ample store-housr of Nature, he soon loses sight of this needless and sportive econ- omy, and, like the thievish Pie and Jay, he suffers his forgotten store to remain drying and bleaching in the elements till no linger palatable or digestible. As this little 15utcher, like his more common lluropean representative, preys upon birds, these imijaled grasshoppers were imagined to be lures to attract his victims ; but his courage and rapacity render such snares both useless and improbable, as he has been known, with the temerity of a Falcon, to follow a bird into an open cage scjoncr than lose his quarry. Mr, J. IJrown, of Cambridge, informs nie that one of these birds had the boldness to attack two Canaries in a cage, suspendetl one fine winter's day at the window. The poor songsters in their fears fluttered to the side of the cage, and one of them thrust his head through the bars of his prison ; at this instant the wily Butcher tore off his head, and left the body dead in the cage. The cause of the accident seemed wholly mysterious, till on the following day the bold hiuiter was found to have entered the room, through the open window, with a view to despatch the remaining victim ; and but for timely interference it would have instantly shared the fue of its companion. On another occasion, while a Mr. Lock in this vicinity was engaged in fowling, he wounded a Robin, who flew to a little distance aiil descended to the ground ; he -oon heard the disabled bird uttering unusual cries, and on approach- ing found him in the grasp of the Shrike. He snatched u]i the bird from its devourcr : but having tasted blood, it still fol- lowed, as it determined not to relinquish its proposed prey, and only desisted from the quest on receiving a mortal wound. NORTHERN SHRIKE. I6l TIh' propensity for thus singularly sc'(niring its prey is also pi\!( tiseil on birds, which it impales in the same manner, antl afterwards tears them to pieces at leisure. 1 njm his attempts to imitate the notes of other small birds, ill Canada and some parts of New I'Jigland he is sometimes calkil a Mocking Jh'nL His usual note, like that of the follow- iiiu >pecies, resembles the discorilant creaking of a sign-board hiiii:^' ; and my friend Mr. I5ro\vn has heard one mimicking the (jiKK king of his Ducks, so that they answered to him as to a iK( ov fowl. They also imitate other birds, and I have been inl'')nned that they sing pretty well themselves at times, or rather chatter, and mimic the songs of other birds, as if with a viiw to entice them into sight, for the purpose of making them tluir prey. This fondness for imitation, as in the Pies, may however be merely the result of cajjrice. So complete at times is the resemblance between the Moi king Ijird {Miinits /^o/fyg/offi/s) and this species o{ Laniiis, that it is difficult to distinguish tliem apart. I have lately heard one (November loth, 1S33), employed in a low and soft warMe res- •^''bling that of the Song Sparrow at the i)resent sci>on, and immediately after his note changed to that of the Catbird. Like that pre-eminent minstrel, the Orpheus, he al>o mounts to the topmost spray of some lofty tree to display his (ki eptive talent and mislead the small birds so as to bring them uilhin his reach. His attitudes are also light and airy, and his graceful, flowing tail is kept in fantastic motion. The ])arents and their brood move in company in ([ucst of their subsistence, and remain together the whole season. The male ht)ldly attacks even the Hawk or the Magle in their de- feiK e, and with such fury that they generally di'dine the onset. TIk Butcher Bird breeds from about latitude 50'^ nortluvard. mi- Sratiivj,- in winter south to the Potomac and Ohio valleys. I)r Arthur Chadbourne, of Camliridge. reports that he lias heard a fi male sing, and describes her as " an unusually tine singer and quite a mimic." V. iL. I. — II 1 62 SINGING BIRDS. LOdGKRHKAl) SHRIKE. Lamls ludovicianus. Char. Above, bluish ash, generally not much paler on rump; under parts pure white, rarely any lines of gray; flanks tinged with ,nray; forehead and side of head black ; wings and tail black tijjped with whitu; white patch on wings ; outer tail feathers white. Length S)4 to 9'.< inches. Distinguished fr(jm borcalis by smaller size and by the black forehead and white under-parts. A\st. In a tree ; roughly made of twigs and grass, lined with leaves and feathers. jftV.;'i. 4-6; dull gray with green tint spotted with lilac andbiuwn; o.cjs X 0.70. This species principally inhabits the warmer parts of the United States, residing and breeding from North Carolina to Florida, where I have observed it likewise in winter. It was also seen in the table-land of Mexico by that enterprising natu- ralist and collector, Mr. Hullock, and my friend Mr, T. Town send foimd it in the Rocky Mountain range and in the territorv of ( )regon. According to Audubon it affects the low countries, being seldom met with in the moinitainous districts. Its habits are shy and retiring, and it renders itself usefnl, and claims protection by destroying mice around the planta- tion, for which it sits and watches near the rice-stack-; for hoiu"s together, seldom failing of its prey as soon as it appi'ar>, Like most of the genus, it is also well satisfied with large in- sects, crickets, and grasshoppers, which like the preceding .species it often imi)ales. In the breeding-season, arronlinn to Dr. Bachman, it has a song which bears some resemblance to that of the young Urown Thrush ; and though very irregnlnr, the notes are not un])leasing. At other times its disrordant call may almost be compared to the creaking of a sign-lioarl in windy weather ; it jirobably has also the usual talent for mimicry. The pairs mate about March, at which tinu' thi' male frequently feeds the female, and shows great courage in defending his nest from the intrusion of other birds. The nest LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE. 163 '\i, according to Dr. Bachman, usually made in the outer limbs oi a tree such as the live-oak or sweet-gum, and often on a cedar 15 to 30 feet from the ground. It is coarsely made of dry crooked twigs, and lineil with root-fibres and slender grass. The eggs, 3 to 5, are greenish white. Incubation is per- formed by both sexes in turn, but each bird procures its own toDil in the intervals. They rear two broods in the season. Its manners resemble those of a Hawk; it sits silent and watchful until it espies its prey on the ground, when it pounces ui»i)ii it, and strikes first with the bill, in the manner of ^mall birds, seizing the object immediately after in its claws; but it bcldom attacks birds except when previously wounded. The Loggerhead is now said to be restricted to the southern portion of the Eastern States north to Ohio and southern lilinoiN , l)ut liirds have been found breedin Shrike (/,. ludoiicianus cxcu- l>iton\fes) is a pale form, usually restricted to the Western plains, but ranging occasionally tbroui^h the region of the Great Lakes, 1:1st to northern New England and the .Maritime Provinces of Caa.ula. REDSTART. Setophaoa ruticii.la. Char. Male: lustrous blue-black; belly white; jiatch on sides of bri.a>i, basal half of wiug-quills and of tail, orange red. Female; the black of the male replaced by olive brown, the red replaced by dtill yellow. Young males like female, but gradually changing to full i)luniai;c llill and feet black. Length 5 to 5}^ inches. Au-xf An exceedingly gracefid ;nul compact structure saddled ov. a branch, or supported bv forked twigs of a sapling, from 5 to 20 feet tinm the ground. It is composed of a variety of materials, in this reuinn most commonly of grass and vegetable fibres lined with fine gr.is.- nr horsehair. A;:;j. 4-c;: dull white, spotted chiefly around the larger end with brown and lilac ; 0.65 X o 50 This beautiful and curious bird takes up its summer resi- dence in almost every part of the North American continent, being found in Canada, in the remote interior near Red River in the latitude of 49 degrees, throughout Louisiana, Arknnstb. and the maritime parts of Mexico ; in all of which vast coun tries it familiarly breeds and resides during the mild season, withdrawing early in September to tropical America, where, i:. the perpetual spring an//< in the tc REDSIART. i6s sides "i Idled 'M:.1 p fcLl tii>m - is vc;-i"" end with mer ri-^i- ;ontiiunt. .eel Riv^' Arkansa>, ■ast co\uv Id season. where, ill 'est IndKi At lenctl^" f ordin.n livery, aini lly \val W Redstart does not api)ear in Pennsylvania until late in April. 1 ne month of May, about the close of the first \veck, Ushers his arrival into the States of New ICngland ; but in Louisiana he i?) seen as early as the beginning of March. He i-^ no pen- sioner upon the bounty of man. Though sonieiinics s-en. on hi- first arrival, in the darkest part of the orchard or g.irden, or by the meandering brook, he seeks to elude obsenation, and now, the great object of his migrations having arrived, he rciires with his mate to the thickest of the sylvan shade, Like hi> relative Sylvias, he is full of life and in i)er]>etual motion. lie does not, like the loitering Pewee, wait the accidental ..j)- pniach of his insect prey, but carrying the war amongst thetn, he is seen tlitting from bough to bough, or at times jjursuing ill: [lying troop of winged insects from the top of the tallest tm in a zig-zag. hawkdike, descending llight, to the grounrl, uiuK the clicking of the bill declares distinctly both his object .iiui success. Then alighting on some adj(jining branch, in- tiiitlv watching with his head extended, he runs ahjug upon :t fur ill instant or two, flirting like a fan his e.xpanded, brilliant tail tr lui side to side, and again suddenly siioots off like an arrow in a new direction, after the fresh gime he has discov- cnd in the di.stance, and for which he ;ip|)eared to be recon- iiui'.ring. .\t first the males are seen engaged in active strife, [lur^uing each other in wide circles through the forest. The kiiiale seeks out her prey with less action and flirting, anrl in her manners resembles the ordinary Sylvias. The notes of the male, tliough not possessed of great com- pass, are highly musical, and at times sweet and agreeably v.ujrd like those of the Warblers. Many of these tone-, as they are mere trills of harmony, cannot be recalled by ■ iiy words, 'lluir song on their first arrival is however nearly nn form, anrl gre itly resembles the '/s/i '/s/i A// A/Wv. A//<\ A//c, /\/if /s/iru, or 'A// A// 'A// ''tshitslicc of the summer Yellow liird (Syh'ia uKfir-ii), iiU'rcd in a ])iercing and ratln'r slender tone : now and then ;il>o agreeably varied with a somewhat plainti\'e flowing ^ti/ie tsii,' fshc, or ;i more agreeable 'A//// 'A//// tr 'tshci', gi\-en almost in the tones of the common Yellow \\m\ ( Friif^illa fn'sfii). I i66 SINGING BIRDS. liavc likewise heard individuals warble out a variety of sweet ami tender, trilling, rather loud a' 1 shrill notes, so superior to the ordinary lay of incubation that the performer would scarcely be supposed the same bird. On some occasions the male also, when angry or alarmed, utters a loud and snapping chirp. The nest of this elegant Sylvan Flycatcher is very neat ami substantial, fixed occasionally near the forks of a slender hickory or beech sapling, but more generally fastened or a_L;L,'lii- tinated to the depending branches or twigs of the former; sometimes securely seated amidst the stout footstalks of the waving foliage in the more usual manner of the delicate cradle of the Indian Tailor IJird, but in the deep and cool shade of the forest, instead of the blooming bower. Eoth parents, but ]iar- ticularly the male, exhibit great concern for the safety of their nest, whether containing eggs only or young, and on its being a])])roached, the male will flit about within a few feet of the invader, regardless of his personal safety, and exhibiting uneciui- vocal marks of distress. The parents also, in their solicitmle and fear, keep uj) an incessant ^tship when their infant brcjod are even distantly approached. Nuttall classed the Redstart with the Flycatchers, as some nf its habits — such as darting from a perch, and capturing insects wliile on the wing— are tyjiical of that family: but the more mod- ern systcmatists class it witli tlic Wood Warblers. It is an aluin- dant summer resident of this eastern province, breeding Ironi about the valley of the Potomac to southern Labrador. HOODED WARBLER. SmAANIA .MirKATA. Thar. Male ; above, yellow olive ; beneath, rich vellow ; sides shaded wiih ])ale olive; head and neck black, enclosing a wide band of yellow ;iuii.-> forehead and through eyes; tail with i)atch of white on two or till' I outer tail-feathers. IJill black, feet Hesh-color. Female: similar to link, hut sometimes lacking the black, in which specimens the crown is olive and the throat yellow. AV.f/. In a low bush; made of leaves and vegetal)le fdire, lined with gr.i>s or horse-hair. /•,V;.f. 4-5; creamy white, spotted chiefly around the larger end with hrdwii and lilac; 070 x 0.55. This beautiful and singularly marked summer species, com- mon in the South, is rarely seen to the north of the .State of Maryland. It retires to Mexico or the West Indies proba- l)ly to pass the winter. At Savannah, in (ieorgia, it arrives from the South about the 20th of March, according to Wilson. It i> partial to low and shady situations darkened with under- wiiDil. is frequent among the cane-brakes of Tennessee and Mi^^issip]M, and is exceedingly active, and almost p.erpetually ciTjiLTcd in the pursuit of winged insects. While thus em- I'loviil, it now and then utters three loud, and not inimusical, WW lively notes, resembling the words, /rtvv ^luy 7;c7/A//^'. hi its simple song and general habits it therefore mtu h resem- bles the summer Yellow Bird. Its neat and compact nest is Lrrncnlly fixed in the fork of a small bush, formed outwardly of iiiDss and flax, lined with hair, and sometimes feathers ; the 1 68 SINGIXr, BIRDS. L-ggs, about 5, are grayish white, with reddish spots towards the great end. The Hooded Warbler is a Southern species, but is a re.i,'ul,ir summer resident of the Connecticut valley, and lias been found breeding near Cleveland, Ohio, and in sontiiern .Miciiigan. It is said to be more abundant in South Carolina than elsewhere. NOTK. — Tlie S.MAM.-iiKADEi) Flycatchkr ( ff /Avw/rt iiiiiiuta and Syh'ia iiiinuta of Wilson and Audubon) was given a phue in tile " Manual" by Nuttall, who alleged to liave seen the species. Not having ])een found by any of tlie more modern observers, it li.is been omitted from many recent works. It was placed on the " hyijo- thetical list" by the A. O. A. committee, but has been again brounlit forward by Ridgeway, in his "Manual."' Wilson stated that he- saw it in New Jersey; Audubon said he shot one in Kentucky; and Nuttall's examples were in Massachusetts. As tlie birds were seen by Nuttall only " at the approach of winter,"" it is probable they were the young of the year of some of the more northern breed- ing species. WILSON'S WARBLER. WILSON'S BLACK CAP. SVLVANIA I'USILLA. Char. Above, olive ; crown Ijlack ; forehead, cheeks, and entire itnrlcr parts yellow. Female and young duller, and black cap often obscure, sometimes lacking. Length, 4J4! to 5 inches. iW'st. On the ground, in a bushy swam]), or on branch of low hu-h; of twigs and vegct:>l)!e fibre lined with moss or fine grass. E:^gs. 4-6; wiiite spotted with brown and lavender; 0.60 X 0.50. This remarkable species of sylvan Flycatcher was first oli- ser\ed by Wilson in New Jersey and Delawnre as a transitory bird of passage. Audubon has noticed it in I^al)rador iii'l Newfoimdland, where it was breeding, and it is not uncommon in the State of ^Laine. He also saw it in his way to Texas early in April. It begins to migrate from Newfotmdlind about the middle of August, and is seen in Maine in October. Mr. Townsend and myself had the pleasure of obser\'ing the WILSON'S WAKHLER. 169 ;irri\;il of the little cheerful songsters in the wilds of Oregon alioiii the first week of May, where these birds commonly take u\i iheir summer resilience, and seem almost the countiTpart of our brilliant and cheerful Yellow lUrds {.Sv/rui asZ/rd), tuning iluir lay to the same brief and lively ditty, like '/s/i '/>// 'A// /.\/uii, or something similar; their call, however, is more brief and less loud. They were rather familiar and unsuspicious, kept in l)ushes more than trees, particularly in the thickets which biirdered the Columbia, busily engaged collecting their iii^.ect fan', and only varying their emjjloyment by an oc( asional and earnest warble. Jiy the 12th of May they were already feed- ing their full-fledged young, though 1 also found a nest on the i()ii] of the same month, ((jntaining 4 eggs, and just commen- ciiiL: incubation. The nest was in the branch of a small service bu>li, iaiil very adroitly as to concealment upon an accidental mi^-' of old moss {L'sma) that had fallen from a tree above. It was made chiefly of ground moss {J/ypiiiiin), with a thick lining of dry, wiry, slender grass. The female, when ap- l)n)a(hed, went off slyly, running along the ground like a mwii>c. The eggs are \ery similar to those of the summer Yellow Tlird, sprinkled with spots of pale olive brown, inclined to lie disposed in a ring at the greater end. as observed by Mr. Audii])()n in a nest which he found in Labrador made in a dwarf fir, also made of moss and slender fir-twigs. Wilson's Black Cap is a regular, though not common, summer resiiKnt of northern New England. l)reeding eliiellv nortli of the Unitid States. It is not uncommon in the Maritime I'rovinees, and fairly common as a migrant about Montreal, but is rarely seen in Ontario, though abundant in Ohio. BLUF.-C.R.W r.XATCATCHER. I'OLIOFI'ILA CKKULKA. Char. Male: alinve, l)liiisli gray, darker on bead, ])aler on nmip; fureliead and line over tiie eye l)laek ; l)enealli, pale bluish white; wiii,t;s dusky; tail lunger than the body, tlic outer featliers partly wliite. i'V- nude ; similar to the male, but lacking the black on head. Length 4', to 5 inches. A'c's/. A graceful, cu| shaped structure, saddled on limb of a tree 15 or 20 feet from the gmund; composed of felted plant fibre ornamented externally with lichens and lined with feathers. /,";•,■•,?. 3-5; bluish white, speckled with bright brown; 0.55 X 0.15. l)Ut for the length of the tail, this would rank amoni,^ the most (limintitive of birds. It is a very dexterous, lively inscit- hnnter, and keeps commonly in the tojjs of tall trees; its motions are rai)id and incessant, appearing always in (jmst of its prey, darting from bough to bough with hanging wings and elevated tail, uttering only at times a feeble song of /sir t.uf Aw, scarcely louder than the squeak of a mouse. It arrives in the State of Pennsylvania from the South about the middle of Aiuil. and seldom passes to the north of the States of New York and Ohio, though others, following the courseof the large ri\ers, j)rn- etrate into Kentucky, Indiana, and Arkansas. Its first vi-its are paid to the blooming willows along the borders of w iter- courses, and besides other small insects it now i)reys on the troublesome mosqtiitoes. About the beginning of May it forms its nest, which is usually fixed among twigs, at the height of 10, or sometimes even 50, feet from the groimd, near the sinumit BLUE-GRAV GNATCATCIIER. 171 of a f(jrcst tree. It is formed of slight materials, such as the icAc^ of buds, stems and parts of fallen leaves, withered blos- soms, fern down, and the silky fibres of various plants, lined with a few horsehairs, and coated externally with lichens. In this frail nest the CowTroopial sometimes dejjosits her et,'j^, and kavt'S her offspring to the care of these affectionate and i)igmy nurses. In this case, as with the Cuckoo in the nest of the \( How Wren and that of the Red-tailed Warbler, the egg is |iriilulily conveyed by the parent, and placed in this small and sKiidcr cradle, which would not be able to sustain the weight or ri'ccive the body of the intruder. 'I'liougli classed with the Flycatchers by Nuttall and other writers of Ills (lay, this species is now ranked as one of the highest tvi)es of the Osrines, or Singing Hirds, and a suh-faniily has been made for thii ,iiul the two Western forms. Mr. William .Saunders finds the present species fairly common near London, Ontario, but it is only c.isii il in .M.assachusetts, and is rarely seen north of latitude 42°. It winters in the (iulf States and southward. Vi:LL()\V-r.Ri:ASTEI) CHAT. IC'II'.RIA VIKKNS. ruAit. Above, olive; lores black; throat and breast rich yellow; belly white. Lengtii 7 to S inches. A'ts/. In a thicket 2 or 3 feet from tiie ground ; of dried leaves, stiips of bark, or grass lined with line grass or filire.s. /■!:,'.;s. 3-4; white, witii pink tint, spotted with hrown and lilac ; 0.9c X 0.70. This remarkable bird is another siimnicr resident of the United States wliich i)nsses the winter in tropical America, being found in Citiiana and iira/il, so that its migrations piul)- al)ly c.vtcnd indifferently into the milder regions (;f both hi'misplicres. Even the birds essentially tropical are still known to migrate to different distances on either side the equator, so essential and necessary is this wandering habit to almost all the feathered race. The Icteria arrives in Pennsylvania about the first week in >vlay, and does not usually appear to proceed farther north an; east than the States of New York or Connecticut. To the west it is found in Kentucky, and ascends the Ohio to the borders of Lake Erie. In the distant interior, however, ik J the Rocky Mountains, towards the sources of the Arki'i---, this bird was observed by Mr. Say, and Mr. Townsend saw it YEM.OW-r.RKASTrn CHAT. ^7i h yellow; ivcs, -nips 1 lilac ; 0.9c of the Aiiurica, (jf linlh arc >till s\iii' the habit to t week in lorth an '. To the io to the k-er, lie' 'f Urkan^as, .., Walh-Wnlla, on the Cohimhia, breeding' in the month of li.nc. It retires to the south about the middle of August, or a> M)(in a>. the only brood it raises are fitted to undertake their (linlant journey. 'Ihe males, as in many other migrating birds, who are not roiitinually paired, arrive several days before the females. As yjoM as our bird lias chosen his retreat, which is commonly in smile thorny or viny thicket when- he can obtain concealmcm, he becomes jealous of his assmiied rights and ri'si'Uts the hast iiittu^ion, scolding all who approach in a varii'ty of odd and um outh tones very difficult to describe or imitate, excejit by a whistling, in which case the bird may be made to approach, Iml seldom within sight. His responses on such occasions are ((instant and rapid, exjjressive of anger and anxiety; and still unseen, his voice shifts from place to ]>lace amidst the thicket. Siiitie of these notes resemble the whistling of the wings of a living (luck, at first loud and rajiid, then sinking till they seem to end in single notes. .A succession of other tones are now heard, some like the barking of young ]nippies, with a \Mriety (if hollow, guttural, uncommon sounds fre(|uently repeated, and terminated occasionally by something like the mewing of a cat, but hoarser, — a tone to which all our Vireos, jiarticularly the young, ha\e fre(|uent recurrence. All these notes are uttered with vhemence, and with such --trange and various niiidiilations as to apjiear near or distant, like the manceuvres of \intrilo(piism. In mild weather also, when the moon shines, this exuberant gabbling is heard nearly throughout the n!,'ht, as if the performer was disputing with the echoes of his own voice. Soon after their arrival, or about the middle of May, the Icterias begin to build, fixing the nest commonly in a bramble- huNh. in an interlaced thicket, a vine, or small cedar, 4 or 5 feet from the ground. The young are hatched in the short period of 12 days, and leave the nest about the second week in June. \\"hile the female is sitting, the cries of the mal'e are still more lotid and incessant. Me now braves (oncealment, and at times mounts into the air almost perpendicularly 30 174 SINGING niRDS. or 40 feet, wilh his legs hanging down, and descending as he rose, by repeated jerks, he seems to be in a paroxysm of fear and anger. 'I'he usual mode of Hying is not, however, diflcrLiU from that of other birds. The food of the Icteria consists of beetles and other :-hi lly insects; and as the summer ad\ances, they feed on various kinds of berries, like the Flycatchers, and seem particul.iiiy fond of whortleberries. They are freijuent through the Miildle States, in hedges, thickets, and near rivulets and waieiy situation ■;. Tills Cliat is now found regularly in Connecticut and nordiern Ohio, and sparingly in Massaeluisetts. A few examples have liceu taken in New Hampshire and southern Ontario. V E L 1 .0\\'-TI 1 RO ATED VIREC). ViRF.O KI„\VIFRi )NS. CllAR. Aliovc, rich olive, shading to ashy gray on the runi]!: line acinss liie fmclicail anil arountl the eyes yelhnv; throat and hiea.-i li.h yelliiw ; bellv white, ^ides shaded with jnile olive ; wings dusky witii two white bars, tail dusky, the feathers edged with white. Lengtli 5 lo 6 inches. Nest. In woods or orchard; suspended from fork of branch 5 In 'ir feet from the ground (usually about 10 feet) ; a graceful and compact structiue of grass and strips of l)ark covered with lichens and lined with grass or pine needles. /(;^;v. 3-5 ; wliite with roseate tint, thickly spotted around the lai^e end with shades of brown ; 0.80 X 0.60. This species of Vireo. or \Varl)ling Flycatcher, visits the Middle and Northern States of the Union about the beginniPL^ of May or as soon as his insect food allows him a means ol subsistence. He resides ehietly in the forests, where he hunts his tiny prey among the high branches ; and as he shifts from twig to twig in restless i)iu-suit, he often relieves his toil with, a somewhat sad and indolent note, which he re])eats, with some variation, at short intervals. This song aj)pears like '//vvi? '/;vvv?. etc., and it sometimes finishes with a complainini; ( ill horhoix firiiih- n the sto fornu'd coniuct of tile si The>e bir.!. blides YELLOW-THROATED \IREO. '75 itli tw'i 5 I" 3^ iini);Kt ;;(! with iL larse its the iinnini: cans ol - hunts Is from wiih a ih SDiue /ml I Inv. call of rcroc^nition, ^pnraigh '/Tjra/^'/i. These syllables rise and fall ill iliffercnt tones is they are repeated, but though usually sweet and impressive, are delivered too slow and solemn to be generally jjleasing. In other respects they consiilerably re:->em- ble the song of the Red-I^yed Warbling Flycatcher, in whose c(>m]jany it is often heard, blending its deej) but languid w,irl)le with the loud, energetic notes of the latter; and their united music, uttered during summer, even at noonday, is rmilered peculiarly agreeable, as nearly all the songsters of the grove are now seeking a silent shelter from the sultry heat. In the warmest weather the lay of this bird is inileed peculiarly ^tnuig anil lively; and his usually long-dniwn. almost plaintive notes, are now delivered in fine succession, with a peculiar ei hoing and inii)ressive musical cadence. ap])earing like a roaii'.ntic and tender revery of delight. The song, now almost iiK i.--sant, heard from this roving sylvan minstrel is varied in bus nearly as follows: /;vv? //vv? f^rcoi, prrait prtoit f rrl-i^uut pr,-i\!i, p(-i(.'ai praioK, prccai prrco praoU, p)(ti> pira:cif p)'t'i'Oi\ \\\\K\\ irritated, he utters a \-ery loud and hoarse mewing py.ii^/i pnfi'^/i. As soon, however, as the warm weather begins ti' il( I line, and the br 'ness of incubation is finished, about the beginning of Augu.it, this sad and slow but interesting musician nearly ceases his song, a few feeble farewell notes only being heard to the first week in Se]nember. This sjjecies, like the rest of the genus, constructs a \ery beautiful pendulous nest about 3 inches deep and 2'j in diameter. One, which I now more particularly describe, is suspended from the forked twig of xd oak in the near neigh- borhood of a dwelling-house in the country. It is attached finnly all round the curving twigs by which it is supported ; the stoutest external materials or skeleton of the fibric is firmed of interlaced folds of thin stri])S of red cedar bark, connected very intimately by coarse threads and small masses ot tiie silk of spiders' nests and of the cocoons of large moths. 1 lu -e threads are moistened by the glutinous sal!\'a of the I'inl. Among these external materials are also bknded fine blailes of drv grass. 'I'he inside is thickly bedded with this 1/6 SINGING BIRDS. last material and fine root-fibres ; but the finishing layer, a> if to preserve elasticity, is of rather coarse grass-stalks, llxtrr- nally the nest is coated over with green lichen, attached very artfully by slender strings of caterpillars' silk, and the whole afterwards tied over by almost imisible threads of the same, so as to ai)i)ear as if glued on ; and the entire fabric now resem- bles an accidental knot of the tree grown over with moss. 'l"he food of this sj^ecies during the summer is insects, but towards autumn they and their yeung feed also on various small berries. About the middle of September the whole move o^f and leave the United States, ])robably to winter in tropical America. Nuttall followed the older authors in naming the forest as the favorite haunt of this species. Later ol)servers consider thai it trefpicnts orcliards and fields quite as much as the woods, and it is reported as common in tlie gardens near Boston. It occurs throughout tiie New Eni^land and Midflle States as far west as Iowa, and in Manitoba, wlicre it is common. It has not been found in the IMaritime Provinces, but is common near Montreal and in Ontario. IJLUE-HEADED A7Ri:0. SOLITARY VIREO. VlRKO SOLITARIUS. C'liAR. Ahovc, bright olive; line from nostril to and around tlie eve? whitisli ; crown antl sides of licad bUiish a.sli ; beneath, wliite, sidc> .iiul thinks sliadcd widi olive and yellow; wings iliisky with two b.;i> '! veliowish white ; tail dusky, feathers edged with white. Length 5 uk inches. A'lS/. Susjicnded from fork of branch of low tree or bush ; com: nsecl of grass or vegetable fibre, ornamented with moss or lichens, Unci! with grass and plant down. /■'X-^, Creamy white, spotted, in wreath around larger end, with brigh: brown ; o.So X 0.50. This is one of the rarest species of the genus, and from Georgia to Pennsylvania seems only as a straggler or .icci- dental visitor. BLUE- HEADED VIREO. 177 It possesses all the unsuspicious habits of the genus, allow- ing a near approach without alarm. It seldom rises beyond tlic tups of the canes or low bushes amidst which it is coin- inonly seen hopping in quest of its subsistence, which consists of insects and berries. Its flight is generally tremulous and agitated. According to Dr. Bachman, " it is every year be- coming more abundant in South Carolina, where it remains fiDin about the middle of February to that of March, keeping t(j ilic woods. It has a sweet and loud song of half a dozen nuu >, heard at a considerable distance." .\lH)ut the beginning of May, in the oaks already almost will illy in leaf, on the banks of the Columbia, we heard around lb the i)laintive deliberate warble of this species, first noticed by W ilson. Its song seems to be intermediate between that of the Red-eyed and Yellow-breasted species, having the preai, picai, etc., of the latter, and the fine variety of the former in its tunes. It darted about in the tops of the trees, incessantly oiigaLjed in quest of food, now and then disputing with some rival. The nest of this bird is made much in the same manner as that of the Vireo olivaccus. One which I examined was sus])ende in the first week in May I obser\ed a few stragglers in this vicinity WIIITE-EVKD VIREO. 1 79 lip ; line )n ihiiiat piipint; through the bushes; and in the latter end of the iiiuiuh a pair had taken up their abode in the thickets of I n'^h I'ond, so that those which first arrive leave us and pro- ( I t(l farther to the north. On the 2 2d of June I heard the in. lie in full song, near his nest in our neighjjorhood, where in- ( uhation was going on. I lis warble was very pleasing, though somewhat monotonous and whimsical. 'I'his affectionate note, ot'uii rejjeated near to his faithful mate while confined to h( r nest, was like ' tshipptii.' :^uii^/i d />//,,'.'(/, with a guttural trill, as usual, at the last syllabic. He soon, iKjwever, varied his lay to 'whip tc 7^er thr W'liite-Myed Vireo still lingered around ("auibridg<-. and on the margin of a jiond, surroimded by weeds and willow.-,, he was a( tivi'ly employed in gleaning up insects and their larva- ; and now, with, a feebler tone of voice, warbled with uncommon sweetness whtdly different from his usual strain, sounding Si^me- thing like the sweet whisperings of the Song Sjiarrow at the l)res(.nt season, and was i>erhaps an attempt at miniickry. 0(1 asionally, also, he blended in his harsher, scolding, or querulous mewing call. This species, like the rest, build commonly a pensile nest suspended by the upper edge of the two sides on the circular I So SINGING IJIRDS. bend, often of the smilax or green briar vine. In the Middle States they often raise 2 broods in the season, generally m.ike choice of thorny thickets f(jr their nest, and show much ( on- cern when it is approached, descending within a few feel vi the intruder, looking down and hoarsely mewing and scolding with great earnestness. This petulant display of irritability is also continued when the brood are a])proached. though as lar^'c and as active as their vigilant and vociferous parents. In die Middle States this is a common species, but in Massachusetts rather rare. Its food, like the rest of the Vireos. is inserts and various kinds of berries, for the former of which it hunts with great agility, attention, and industry. " Eastern United States, west to the Rockies, soutli in winter to (juateniala,"' is usually giv(.'n as the habitat of tiiis s])ecies. it l:;is been seen rarely north of southern New luigiand, and onlv (2 inches. Xest. In open jiastiire ./r shaded street, suspended from fork ^f a high branch; comjiosed of grass and vegetable fibre, and lined \vi;:i line grass. /tX'A'c 3-4; white, spotted, ehiclly about the larger end, wuh brown; 075X05;. VVARULIXG VIREO. I8l fccl tlf ;ol(ling )ility is IS larLj;e In ihc inM-'cls il hunts winter to . It lias onlv one .Ir.'j.M- a Scotia. 1, but Mr. the Key bird til an icarance strii t- "t ic ol tlic to ashv "" live yell"w- fori, "f ^ ;d with line 'I'liis sweetest and moMt constant warbler of the forest, c\- tcnthng his northern migrations to the confines of Canada and jlong the coast of the I'acific to the Oregon, arrives from trop- ical America in Pennsylvania about the middle of April, and riMciies this part of New Ihigland early in May. His livery, liU- tliat of the Nightingale, is plain and nnadurned ; but the hwcet melody of his voice, — suri)assing, as far as Nature usually sur|»asses art, the tenderest airs of the llute, — ])()m'ed out often Inim the rising dawn of day to the approach of evening, and \,^>u)n<, even during the sultry heat of noon, when most other \uy<\^ are still, gives additional interest to this little vocalist. Willie chanting forth his easy, flowing, tender airs, apparently without effort, so contrasted with the interrui)ted emphatical MiULiofthe l])ei ies is almost wholly confined to our villages, and e\en cities. It is rarely ever observed in the woods; but from the tall trees which decorate the streets and lanes, the almost in- visilijt' musician, secured from the enemies of the A)rest, is lu-.ud to cheer the house and cottage with his untiring song. As late as the 2d of October 1 still distinguished his tuneful voice from amidst the yellow fading leaves of the linden, near which he had passed away the summer. The approaching ilissolu- ti,)ii (if those delightful connections which had been cemented liy aifection and the cheerless stillness of autmnn, still called ui» a feeble and plaintive revcry. Some days after this late j)t-rind, warmed by the mild rays of the morning stm, I heard, as it were, faintly warbled, a parting whisper ; and about the ninl'lle of this month our vocal woods and fields were once more left in dreary silence. W lun offended or irritated, our bird utters an angry '/s/iay 'A/'/iH, like the Catbird and the other Vireos. and sometimes makes a loud snapping with his bill. The nest of the Warbling Virco is generally pendulous, and ambitiously and securely sus- '.leiidid at great elevations. In our elms 1 have seen one of tlie^e airy cradles at the very summit of one of the most gigan- [^ J 82 SINGING BIRDS. tic, more than 100 feet from the ground. At other times they are not more than 50 to 70 feet high. 'Ilu' only nest I have been able to examine was made externally of flat and ilry sedge-grass blades, for which, as I have observed, are o(( a- sionally substituted strings of bass. 'I'hese dry blades ami strips are confined and tied into the usual circular form hy caterpillars' silk, blended with bits of wool, silk-weed lint, and an accidental and sparing mixture of vernal grass tops and uM ap])le-blossoms. It was then very neatly lined with the small flat blades of the meadow grass calletl Poa compressa. This species is rather uiuomnion in the Maritime ProviiicLS excepting near the Maine border in New Brunswick, and in tliu more southern portions of Nova Scotia. It is fairly common in southern Quebec, and abundant in Ontario. In the New Knuland and Middle States it is an abundant summer resident. At the West it ranges north to the fur countries. RED-EVKD VIREO. ViRF.O OI.IVACF.OUS. CiiAR. Above, bright olive, crown ashy : beneath, white faintly tinned witli dull olive on sides ; wings and tail dusky. Length 5^! to 6'i inches. XiSf. \w an open pasture or along margin of field ; suspended from fork of an upper branch ; composed of grass and vegetable fibri. and lined with fine grass, etc. AS'-f- 3"5; white (sometimes with a faint i)ink tint) spotted sparinjlv. around larger end, with dull brown ; o.So X 0.55. These common and indefatigable songsters appear to inhaltit every part of the American continent, from Labrador to the large tropical islands of Jamaica and St. Domingo ; thcv are likewise resident in the mild tableland of Mexico. 'Those intlividuals who pass the siunmer with us, however, migrate to the warmer regions at the commencement of winter, as none are found at that season within the limits of the United States. The Red-B]yed Vireo arrives in Pennsylvania late in Aj-jrit. and in New England about the beginning of May. It inhabit:, tlie RED-EVED VIKEO. 183 s thi'V I have id dry ocea- ns and (ini by nt, and md uld ic hinall rovuices d in the mnii'n in Kniiland the West itlv tinned Vz t-> Ci': k1c(1 from fibri., and spar inalv. -hadv forests or tall trees near gardens and the suburbs of \ illaL^es, where its loud, lively, and energetic song is often con- tiiiui'd, with little intermission, for several hours at a time, as It darts and pries among the thick foliage in cjuest of insects and small caterpillars. From its first arrival imtil August it is the most distinguished warbler of the forest, and when almost all the other birds have become mute, its notes are yet heard with unabated vigor. Even to the 5th of October, still enliv- ened by the feeble rays of the sun, the male faintly recalls his sun^. and plaintively tunes a farewell to his native woods. His suiiinn'r notes are uttered in short, emphatical bars of 2 or 3 syllables, and have something in them like the simple lay of the Thrush or American Robin when he first earnestly and hluwlv commences his song. He often makes use, in fact, of the same expressions; but his tones are more monotonous as well as mellow and melodious, like the rest of the Vireos. In niui>i and dark summer weather his voice seems to be one ciiniinued, untiring warble of exquisite sweetness; and in the mo>t ])opulous and noisy streets of ]»oston his shrill and tender lay is commonly heard from the tall elms ; and as the bustle of carts and carriages attempts to drown his voice, he elevates his pi]H' with more vigor and earnestness, as if determined to be heard in spite of every discord. The call of " \Vhif^-Ti>i)i- kiih\'" attributed to this species by Sloane and even Wilson, I have never heard ; and common as the species is throughout the I'nion, the most lively or accidental fit of imagination never yet in this cotintry conceived of such an association of sounds. I have already remarked, indeed, that this singular 'ill is. in fact, sometimes uttered by the Tufted Titmouse. When otir Vireo sings slow enough to be distinctly heard, the t'llldwing sweetly warbled phrases, variously trans])()sed and t'nird. may often be caught by the attentive listener : ' f.shooc p'U'n'- prcii'i miis'ik \/u ^iu \/i/, ^fs/iooj'c 'hrrr 'Iinr, Jirar here, 'k^ia^'rlfs/ian/, '/>'s//(\i;;/7f 'tshcvu, 'fslicrvoo 'tsluirfc f^rcaifpn-o'i, — ihe whole delivered almost without any sensible inter\-al, with earnest animation, in a ]')athetic, tender, and pleasing strain, well calculated to produce calm and thoughti\il reflection in ^^"Wipi 184 siN(;i\(; niRDS. the sensitive mind. Yet wiiile this heavenly revery strikes im the hiunan ear with such peculiar effect, the humble mu.ii( 1 ai himself seems bul little cuncerned ; for all the while, perhaps, that this ilowing chorus enchants the hearer, he is casii:illv hopping fnjin spray to spray in cpiest of his active or crawhiii,' prey, and if a cessation occurs in his almost untiring lay, it 1-, occasioned by the caterpillar or fly he has ju^t fortunately 1 ip- tured. So unaffected are these delightful I'fforls (jf instiiK i, and so unconscious is the performer, aj)])arent]y, of this ])lr :s- ing faculty bestowed ujion hiui l)y Nature, that he may truly he considered as a messenger of harmony to man alinir. Wan- tonly to destroy these delightful aids to sentimental hap])ini-,s ought therefore to be viewed, not only as an act of barbaiiiv, but almost as a sacrilege. The Red-l^yed \'ireo is one of the most favorite of all tin; ado])ted nurses of the Cowbird ; and the remarkable gentle- ness of its dis]i()sition and watchful affection for the safet\ (jf its young, or of the foundling (onfided to its care, am])ly jiMJ- fies this selection of a foster-parent. 'J'he male, indeed, (k- fends his nest while his mate is sitting, with as much spirit as the King IJird. driving away every intruder and com])lainiii,L; in a hoarse mewing tone when approached by any incpii^iiivr observer. By accident the eggs were destroyed in a ni>t of this species in the Botanic (larden, in a sugar-maple about zn feet from the ground. At this time no complaints were luiril, and the male sang all day as cheerful as before. In a trw days, unwilling to leave the neighborhood, they had madi a second nest in a beech at the <)])posite side of the same jnun ises ; but now the male drove away every intruder with ilu greatest temerity. The young of this species are often hat( bed in about 13 days, or 24 hours later than the parasitic Troopi:-.); but for want of room the smaller young are usually stifli il or neglected. I have, however, seen in one nest a surviving birl o{ rar/i kiiu/ m a fair way for being reared; yet by a sini.'ul.ir infatuation the supposititious bird ajipeared by far the in«i-t assiduously attended, and in this case the real young of the species seemed to be treated as puny foundlings. REl)-EVi:n VIKLO. 185 CCS on i.ii( 1 ill ■rhaps, asiially awiinj; ly, it is ly cap- nslinct, i IjUms- ruly 1)0 Wan- .ppinr-^s irbarity, III ihc month of Augu>l Ur- youuL; iVd gn-odily on the small hollies of llic bittLT coriiL'l ami astringciil I'ihuntuin i/rii/ci/niii, as well as other kinds. One of these inex|)erienced birds hopped close round me in an adjoining bush, without any fear- ful aitprehension ; and as late as the jOlh of ( )(tober two vDimu birds of the Red-flyc were still lingering in this vicinity, and busily engaged in gleaning subsisleiu e. Imager after llies, about the 25th of August a young binl with ha/el instead of red eyes entered a chamber in the neighb(jrhood and l)ecame my inmate. I clipped his wing and left him at large in a pioin; he soon became very gentle, took grasshojipers and lliis out of my hand, eat Vihuiinim berries with a gocnl appe- litf, and in short seemed pleased with his cpiarters. A tly could not stir but it was instantly caught ; his only diffK iiliy \va> with a lame King Mini who occui)ied the same apartment. 'I'hr King apjieared very jealous of this little harmless com- piuion ; snajjped his bill at him when he apjtroached, and be- grudged him subsistence when he perceived that he fed on the same tbod with himself. At length he w(Mild come to me for provi.iii)n antl for protection from his tyrannical associate. I Jut the career of my interesting and lively com])anion was soon terminated by death, occasioneil, in all probability, by a diar- liuea produced in conseciuence of swallowing a small lock of hair with his fo(,Ki, which was fotmd in hi-; stomach. This bird, very different from a Sxlria aiitiiiitiiali.< which I afterwards had in my jjossession, regurgitated by the bill, like the King IJird, uelltis of the indigestil)Ie i)arts of his food, such as the legs and wings of grassh()])])ers and flies, and the skins and seeds of berries. I'lilike the King r>ird in one ])articular, however, he I'lMcil his head under his wing when at rest, and reposed with threat soundness ; whereas for eight months I was never able to 'iete( I the former asleep. ■HHfeHH im SINGING lilKDS. PHILADKLPHIA VIREO. VlKi;0 I'lllLAltKl.I'lllCL'.S. CliAK. Above, grayibli ulivc, brighter on rump, shading to ashv op crown, beneath, very pale yellow, whiter on throat and belly ; >idc .shiidcd with olive. Length .d)oiit 4-'4 inches. A'i.u'. In a grove ; su>pcnded I'roni (orked twigs of low branch ; uim- posed of grass and birch bark. £j;,:;s 4-z; while, spotted with brown; .' Thi.s s])ecics was tirst described by Mr. Cassin, in 1S51. from a specimen sliut i)y liim near riuladclpliia in i(S42. 'I'he Mnl's lial^its remain almost unknown, 'I'he only nest yet discovered wa.s found Ijy Mr. Ernest 1^. 'I'liompson in Manitoba. Of tlie bird's ranye very little is known. A few examples have been taken in New Jvitjlaiul, and in 1S82 our party secured siwral at Ednuindston. in New Brunswick, near the Quebec border. I)r. Wheaton considered it a regular spring and fall migrant throu:;li Ohio, but very few have been observed in Ontario. Nr)Ti:. .Mr. Comeau has taken at Godbout. on the nortli >lioi of the (iidf of St. I.awrence. one example of the VKl.l.ow-f.KKi. X'iKi.o {r. flaiioi'triiks), a bird of Mexico and Central Ameriia ) ashy up nch ; >."i"- S51. lr< ek- ing out also the favor and fortuitous protection of human society. He becomes henccfi)rth familiar, and only quarrels with the cat and dog. whose approach he instinctively dreuls near his nest, and never ceases his complaints and attacks until they retreat from his sight. None of the domestic animals, or man himself, but p artic- Tilarly the cat and dog, can approacn during the peri 1 1 nf mcubntion, withotit receiving an attack from these affectionate MOCKING BIRD. 189 gimrdians of their brood. Their most insidious and deailly LiKinics, however, are reptiles, particularly the black snake, wliii spares neither the eggs nor young. As soon as his fatal a|)pr()ach is discovered by the male, he darts \\\H)n him without hesitation, eludes his bite, and striking him about the head, and particularly the eyes, where most vulnerable, he soon suc- ctcils in causing him to retreat, and by redoubling his blows, ill >pite of all pretended fascination, the wily monster ol"ten t"all.-> a victim to his temerity ; and the heroic bird, leaving his Liuniy dead on the field he provcjked, mounts on the bush al)o\c his affectionate mate and brood, and in token of victory tclibrates with his loudest song. 'I'he Mocking liird, like the Nightingale, is destitute of bril- liant plumage ; but his form is beautiful, delicate, and synnnet- riral in its proportions. His motions are easy, rapid, antl <,T!( (till, i)erpetually animated with a playful caprice and a liii)k that a]ipears full of shrewdness and intelligence. He li>t(,iis with silent attention to each passing soimd, treasures up k^^niis from everything vocal, and is cajiable of imitating with I'x.K tness, both in measure and accent, the notes of all the fcithcred race. And hcjwever wild and discordant the tones and calls may be, he contrives, with an Orpluan talent pecai- li.irl\ his own, to infuse into them that sweetness of exjiression ;uiil harmonious modulation which characteri/,e this inimi- taliK- and wonderful composer. With the ilawn of morning, wliili' yet the sun lingers below the blushing horizon, our sub- linu' songster, in his native wilds, mounted on the topmost hrani h of a tall bush or tree in the forest, pours out his adnii- rililc song, which, amidst the multitud'' of notes from all the wiriiling host, still rises pre-eminent, so that his solo is heard aliine, and all the rest of the musical choir apjiear lanployed in mere accompaniments to this grand actor in the snl)lime opt'ra iif Nature. Nor is his tah'Ut confined to imitation ; his nali\e notes are also bold, full, and j)er])etually varied, consisting of shnrt expressions of a few variable syllables, inter>persed with iniii, lions and uttered with great eni[)hasis and volubility, siMiii limes for half an hour at a time, with undiminished ardor. files, ■ native strains bear a considerable resemblance to those 190 SINGING BIRDS. of the Drown Thrush, to whom he is so nearly related hi form, habits, and manners ; but, like rude from cultivated genius, his notes are distinguished by the rapidity of their delivery, iluir variety, sweetness, and energy. As if conscious of his unri- valled powers of song, and animated by the harmony of his own voice, his music is, as it were, accompanied by chroniaiic dancing antl expressive gestures ; he spreads and closes his light and fanning wings, expands his silvered tail, and with buoyant gayety and enthusiastic ecstasy he sweeps around, and mounts and ilescends into the air from his lofty spray as his song swells to loudness or dies away in sinking whi>|nrs. While thus engaged, s(j various is his talent that it might be supposed a trial of skill from all the assembled birds ot" tlie country ; and so perfect are his imitations that even the sportsman is at times deceived, and sent in (piest of birds that have no existence around him. The feathered tribes ihciii- selves are decoyed by the fuicied call of their mates, or dive with fear into the close thicket at the well-feigned scream of the Hawk. Soon reconciled to the usur])ing fuicy of man, the Mix kmg Bird often becomes familiar with his master; playfully attacks him through the bars of his cage, or at large in a room ; rest- less and capricious, he seems to try every ex])edient of a lively imagination that may conduce to his amusement. Nothing escapes his discerning and intelligent eye or faithful ear. He whistles perha])s for tlie dog. who, deceived, nms to iutlI his master ; the cries of the chicken in distress bring out tiie clucking mother to the i^rotection of her brood. The barkinu' of the dog, the piteous wailing of the puppy, the mewiiiu' uf the cat. the action of a saw, or the creaking of a wheelbairow, quickly follow with exactness. He repeats a tune of consider- able length ; imitates the warbling of the Canary, the li>])ing of the Indigo I'.ird, and the mellow whistle of the Cardinah in a manner so su])erior to tlie originals that, mortified and a>ti^n- ished, they withdraw from his presence, or liste'i in sileiii e as he continues to triimiph by renewing his efforts. In the cage also, nearly as in the woods, he i. full of lifi and action while engaged in song, throwing himself roimd wiiii in- form, .IS, his , lluir i unri- of his omiilic scs his (1 wilh 1(1, and y as his hisinTs, itrhl be s ut" Uie :cn ilie T(l> that s iliem- , or (live ::rt'ani of MOCKING BIRD. 191 r,inring animation, and, as it were, moving in time to the melody of his own accents. Even the hours of night, which consign nearly all other birds to rest and silence, like the Nightingale he oft eniphjys in song, serenading the hc/aseless hunter and >iknt cottager to repose, as the rising moon illumines the ilaikness of the shadowy scene. His capricious fondness for coiurast and perpetual variety appears to deteriorate his pow- (.rs. His imitations of the Brown Thrush are perhaps inter- rupted by the crowing of the cock or the barking of the dog; the plaintive warblings o{ the Bluebird are then blended wilh the chatter of the Swallow or the cackling of the hen ; amid the simple lay of the native Robin we are surprised with the vol iferations of the Whip-poor-will ; while the notes of the garrulous Jay, Wren, and many others sticceed with such an npi>e,irance of reality that we almost imagine ourselves in the preseiiee of the originals, and can scarcely realize the fact that the whole of this singular concert is the effort of a single bin!. Indeed, it is imjjossible to listen to these (Jr])hean strains, when delivered by a superior songster in his native wniiU, without being deeply affected and almost riveted to the spot by the complicated feelings of wonder and delight in which, from the graceful and sym/athetic action, as well as eiichaming voice of the performer, the eye is no less gratified than the ear. It is, however, painful to rellect that these ex- traonlinary powers of nature, exercised with so much generous freedom in a state of confinement, are not calculated for l(jng endurance, and after this most wonderful and interesting pris- oner has survived for 6 or 7 years, blindness often terminates his i^ay career ; and thus shut out from the cheering light, the si>lare of his lonely but active existence, he now after a time dro(j[is in silent sadness and dies. lif. and wiiii in- The Mocking 15ird is a rare but regular summer visitor to Rhode ■dand, Connecticut, and soutliern Massachusetts, and examples luue been taken in Maine. Mr. Mellwraitli rej^orts that a i)air >PL'nt the summer of 1X83 near Hamilton. Ontario, and C. A. McLennan records in the O. & O. the (apturc of one near Truro, ^'- S The species is chiefly restricted to the Southern States. OS BROWN thrashi:r. BROWN THRUSH. HaRI'c )KHVN'CHUS rufus. Char. Above, bright reddish brown or rufous ; beneath, white, tingcil with rufous or buff; breast aiul side spotted with Ijrown ; bill about as long as the heail. Length lO/i to 12 inches. A'est. In a thicket or low bush, and sometimes on the ground; bii'kv, and looselv constructed of twigs, roots, and dried grass, sumctimts lined with horse-hair or feathers. Egi;s. 3-6 (usually 4) ; dull white with IjufTor green lint, marked with minute spots of reddish brown ; i.oo X 0.80. 'I'his larG:e and well-known songster, inferior to none but the Mocking liird in musical talent, is found in every part oftlii^ continent, from Iltidscjn's liay to the shores of the Mexican ( "lulf, breeding in all the intermediate space, though more abundantly towards the North. It retires to the South cnrlv in October, in the States north of the Carolinas, and probalih ex- tends its migrations at this season through the warmer rt^'ions towards the borders of the tropics. From the 15 th of April to early in May these birds begin to revisit the Middle and Northern States, keeping pace ii^ some measure with the progress of vegetation and the comp;irative BROWy THRASHER. '»rMo >:'« -d,ard or fore.,, tree h ,„,t """^■' ? "'•-• "'1' "^ -m '- ■"-" "fLis arrival .iti, his o i ZT """"""' -'"'« ^•, .^on,e«I,at resen,l,ii„,, that oth ,/'?'"'■' "'"«■ "" rlnr.= ,■ ..-;...| ,__ . ^ ^"ai OI tile I hrilsh /.f I.- """■ "' •"" •"■nvai «i,h his loud an I ,7 •*"""-■'". *'l"tc-s ;■ '" ^■' *"«"■''« asentUin,, that ofth I. "?'"*•' *"«• "'- "'■ '""f ""-' -"I l»>vern,l, e/ 'f™^'' "'"""'I-' 1- > ' " '' '*"" of the forest. Hi mu ,'."'"" "■"'''" ^" 'he ;;■■>■ ,""8i->i')- Ik- takes : T, " '"^ '^'; f"" -harm „f ,„. ""-'"'- no title to the name o, t L ",',""'' '■^•'■' ^"" »>■•>' ^'W-n,„ec he falters in hi. s^ , k tf v'' "" '"^ ""' ;;";." ^'" ">-' "gor an,l var ;;;:""' '''"«. ''- notes "'•; 'nst season, in a state of ,oli, „ " •""""« '''^'h even of -I "f the parent's voice, aire" l! ""'!!'^""""' ""hont the ;-[>■ "- P..'l.ctic an.l ;>vee" „.,,'::" '""" '" "-".on.ous '" "'e month of M.,y, while th iV"'' '"""• 'I'" '«• -;'l ;lecorate the lankscape ,0 en",""° ""'''^■'' '■"f""''' """ - in his afl-ectionat '■:««"'""" '"''-■ "' •"= ■'";■■>'" the bonmv and teen in.™ /°^"' S"""''"' ""^f- * ;;; --.n, .ison ..h tiri,:::::,;-;;- ». ;'"• ^' '"»■, thic, h,th, ::: :.-;;'s «'t .h,s „nr„o.,e „::! '"' fron> the e.arth, and .sonK-Z" l *' " "™"'' •' f--- "»..e sheltered tussnrk or ne r '"" "" ""= g™""l in i;'»[ "- n,ost ardent' * i, ' for;,."' ' ''"''■ •'•'"•>• "- ^"■■(^'■s> tlogs, and cats in their f '"' ''"""^ ^"^'king ;.:r"-."- -ale, seetns ahn: ^^;n^' ". '^ '™-ts' ''"' '"^"nst any dangerons intruder 1^ ' ''"■"' '" «■■"•■''''• "'""'-■ « a considerable dis 'e t ?" ''""'■>^-' '"<«■ »■ '^ -ho with his plai K " , f ■" ""■ >"""«■ -' .he e"""n.l, angry V,,y, V,/, 7.7, '/? 'r^'' '''■""■ ^'"<' 'he lo„-, "» 'i- "cid, cotn^only ,vi h ij, %:"™.y '^ ""■« pw^ucj '*'"■» 'o understand the threntl ' '^"'">' '^""""'i'' -p- "■«: "•"■■'■^ ^he is so inc^; ^a :l';"t ' -1 ^"""■'■'- ^'"- I. — ,3 ^ ^^ssaued. Toward.', their more 194 SINGING BIRDS. insidious enemies of the human species, when approachinp; tlic helpless or untkdged young, every art is displayed; thre;il^, entreaties, and reproaches the most pathetic and powerful, ;ik tried in no etjuivocal strain; they dart at the ravisher in wild despair, and lament, in the most touching strains of sorrow, the bereavement they suffer, I know of nothing ecjual to the buiM of grief manifested by these affectionate parents excepting the afflicting accents of suffering humanity. Their food consists of worms and insects generally; also caterpillars, beetles, and other coleopterous tribes, as well ;is various kinds of berries. In the mouth of January I observnl this Thrush and the Mocking Hird i\i^:d on the berries of the sumach. Sometimes they raise up a few grains of plauud corn, but this is more the effect of caprice than appetite, as the search for grubworms is what commonly induces ihis resort to scratching up the soil. The Thrasher is an aciiw, watchful, shy, and vigorous species, generally flying low, (\\\\\- ling among thickets, and skipping from bush to bush with his long tail sometimes spread out like a fan. About the first wi, i. k in October, after moulting, they disappear for the season and ])ass the winter in the Southern States. Ijy the middle ^i February, or early in March, they already display tlieir vmil powers in the warmer parts of Georgia and West Florida. They are easily reared, and become very familiar and amu>iiii,' companions, showing a strong attachment to the hand that feeds and protects them. In their manners, intelligence, soul;, and sagacity, they nearly approach to the Mocking F.ird, btiiig equally playful, capricious, petulant, and affectionate. The Thrasher is abundant in Massachusetts, and is found in \'(r- mont and New Hampshire, but near the Atlantic sealK)ard ddis not go farther north than southern Maine. It occurs regularlv m the vicinity of Montreal, and is common in Ontario and Manitoba. It winters from about 37° southward. CAT/JIKD. ^95 ' fercui ; 0.95 X 0.70. ^'^'■^ quaint and famiii,,. son... -"^ --n extremities of thj l"^7 V^'^''' ''' ^^''"^^^ i" the ;;^ ^^-ico, .hence a. eaH^rt^;;;^^ "^'' ^"°"^ ^'- -a •;'• :^'^'>"t the nii.Idle J ^:,ri^T Z'' ''"'''^'^ '^ ^•-or- ''^'^^'^^i^. ^md at kjvrfh I..; /^ '^ '•' ^'■^t seen in P "'"'' '" May. rhc^^ w 1 ' '>egnininir of the .,. T '■"' t.ll alwut the mi.Mi, Jf "' »■ ' '"'y rt- main i„ x,„. ,, f-:; Pnncip,,,, „„„„ „.,,„ ; '^^-"er. a. whic, ,„,, .He ,,,„*, '■^■•^•>-. '-".-ping .., '*;■' prey, while vet scarce V dK "■" ' ''"'' ''«"''y •'•fe'r :;"M»s.s is scarcclv at ill 1' r '""'■' '" »«-«'lnes, ^,,,1 ;;?•''".''■>•'». -given, hi;;: ;,:' ""' '"^'""^■" "---.> "'I >".«,. of tone, a„,l lire h v-^^f " """''-'^i-^. "H-lo.!.- ;:'" "f-Po-. In the', 'n„i;V'" '"'"'''■' ""■■^'■'"« '"e 196 SINGING IJIRDS. During the heat of the day, or late in the morning, the variety of his song declines, or he pursues his employment in silence and retirement. About the 2 5lh of May one of these familiar birds came into the llotanic (larden antl took uj) his summer abode with us. Soon after his arrival he called up in low whisjierings the notis of the Whip-poor-will, the Redbird, \\\Kt pcto pcto of the TuftKl Titmouse, and other imitations of Southern birds which he had collected on his leisurely route from the South. He also si ion mocked the ^ tshc-yiih Ushe-yah of the little Acadian Flycatc h- ers, with which the neighborhood now abounded. He fre- f[uently answered to my whistle in the garden, was very silent during the period of incubation, and ex])ressed great anxieiv and com])laint on my approaching the young after their lea\iiig the nest. r)ne of the most remarkable i)ropensities of the Catbird, and to which it owes its name, is the unjjleasant, loud, and gratiiiL; cat-like mew Cpoy, 'pay, 'pFry) which it often utters on bt'iiig approached or offended. As the irritation increases, this note becomes more hoarse, reiterated, and vehement ; and soine- times this petulance and anger are carried so far as to per- secute every intruder who ap]iroaches the premises. 'Ibis temper often prevails after the young are (ledged ; and though originating no doubt in jtarental anxiety, it sometimes apj)iars to outlive that season, and occasionally becomes such an an- noyance that a revengeful and fatal blow from a stick or stone is but too often, with the thoughtless and prejudiced, the re- ward of this harmless and capricious provocation. At such times, with little a])parent cause, the agitation of the bird is excessive ; she hurries backward and forward with hanging wings and open mouth, mewing and screaming in a paroxysm of scolding anger, and alighting almost to peck the very hand that offers the insult. To touch a twig or branch in any [lart of the garden or wood is often amply sufificient to call (Imvn the amusing termagant. This harmless excess, and simulaUon of grimalkin's tone, — that wizard animal so much disliked by many, — are unfortunate associations in the cry of the CaAnrd; i CATIJIRU. •97 irit'ty k'nco e into ilh us. notes rufted At.' had 0 soon y-catch- ic frc- y silent anxiety leaving )ird,and 1 gratini; )!! bein;4 this nolo ul some- |s to v^''" s. 'l"hi^ (\ thou'^h i appears h an an- or sione 1, the rc- At sneh bird is hani;ing )aro\ysm ■cry hand any I'^^r^ all d- Avn u-nul.iKin sliked hy C^?/V'.rd; anil thus, coupled with an ill name, this delightful and familiar soni^'ster, who seeks out the very society of man and reposes nn unmerited ronfidence in his protection, is treated with un- deserved oblo(|uy and contempt. The flight of tiie Catbird is laborious, and usually continued only from bush to bush ; his progress, however, is very wily, and his attitudes and jerks amusingly capricious. lie appears to have very little fear of enemies, often descends to the ground in quest of insects, and though almost familiar, is very (juick in his retreat from real danger. The food of the Catbird is similar to that of the preceding spei ies, being insects and worms, particularly beetles, and va- rious garden fruits; feeding his young often on cherries and various kinds of berries. Sometimes these birds are observed to attack snakes when they approach the vicinity of the nest, and commonly succeed in driving off the enemy; when bitten, however, by the poisonous kinds, it is probable, as related, that they may act in such a manner as to appear laboring undiT the influence of fliscination. 'i'he C'atbird, when raised from the nest, is easily domesticated, becomes a very amusing inmate, and seems attached to his cage, as to a dwelling or ]ila( e of security. About ilawn of day, if at large, he flirts ahout with affected wildness, repeatedly jerks his tail and wings with the noise almost of a whip, and stretching forth his htad. opens his mouth and mews. Sometimes this curious cry is so guttural as to be uttered without opening the bill. He uttrii also gives a squeal as he flies from one place to another, anil is very tame, though pugnacious to all other birds which apijroach him for injury. When wanting food, he stirs round with great uneasiness, jerks everything about within his reach, and utters the feeble cry of the caged Mocking llird. A very amusing individual, which I now describe, began his vocal linwers by imitating the sweet and low warble of the Song Sparrow, as given in the autumn; and from his love of imita- tion on other occasions, I am inclined to believe that he pos- sesses no original note of his own. but acquires and modulates the songs of other birds. lake the Robin, he is exceedingly I9« SINGIXU BIRDS. fond of washing, and dashes about in the water till every featlier appears drenc hcd ; he also, at tinu-s. basks in iIk- gravel in fine weather. His food, in confinement, is almo-^t everything vegetable exeej)t unbniised si'i'ds, — as bread, fine pastry, cakes, scalded cornnieal. fruits, i)articularly those which are juicy, and now and then insects and minceil Hesh. The Catbird occurs regularly aloiiu the Aniiai)()lis valley in Nova Scotia, and in New IJrunswick between tlie Maine l)onkr ;ui(l tlie valley of the St. John, but it is rarely seen elsewliere in llie .Maritime i'rovinces. It is fairly loniniou near the city of Quebec, and abundant about Montreal and in Ontario. ROlilN. Mr,RLi,.\ mi(;kai()KI.\. Char. Above, nlivc gray; head and neck darker, snmetinies black; wings and tail duskv ; ontcr tail-feathers bmadly tipped with white; be- neath, brownish red; throat white with dark streaks; under tail-covorts white; bill yellow. Length 9 to 10 inches. A'fsf. Usually in a tree, but often on fence-rail or windowlcdgi.' ni house or barn; a bulky but compact structure of grass, twigs, etc., cemented with mud. ■/'-'.vs'*"- 4-5; greenish blue (occasionally speckled) ; 1.15 X o.So. The familiar and welcome Robins are fotnid in snmmcr throughout the North American continent from the desol.ite regions of Hudson's IJay, in the 5-^d degree, to the tableland of Mexico. In all this vast space the American P'ieldfares re.ir their young, avoiding only the warmer maritime districts, lo which, however, thry flock for support during the inclenuiK y of winter. The Robins have no fixed time for migration, nor any particular rendezvous ; they retire from the higher lati- tudes only as their food begins to fail, and so leisurely and desultory are their movements that they make their appear- ance in straggling parties even in Massachusetts, feeding on winter berries till driven to the South by deep and inundating snows. At this season they swarm in the Southern Staus, though they never move in large bodies. I'hc holly, prinos, Ronix. 199 every ill llu' (1, fine which lUcy in bonli I' c in ihe [Quebec, ics bbrk; ,vhitc : l)c- ;iil-c(ncvts iv-lcdiii.' 'if ^vigs, cic, siimach. sniilnx, randleberry myrtle, and the Virninian juniper iiiiw aiiord them an ample repast in the winter, in the absence ol the more juicy berries of autumn, and the insects and ucnns of the milder season, liven in the vicinity of Pmston lloi ks of Robins are seen, in certain seasons, assemblint,' round u\^vn springs in the depth of winter, having arriveted. lie uwe^. however, this immunity in no small degree to the lortu- nate name which he bears; as the favorite Robin Redbreast, said to have covered with a Icafv shroud the lo>t and wander- 200 SINT.IN'G IlIKDS. in:; " h.ibcs in the woods," is lit-Id in universal respect in every part of luiropi-. where he is known by endearing n;unes, and v) finiiUar in winli-r that he sometimes taps at the window (ir enters the iiouse in search of crumbs, and Uke the domestic fowls, claims his welcome |)itlance at the firmer's door. 'i'iie nest of this species is often on the hori/tiiUal l;rancii of an apple-tree, or in a btish or tree in the woods, and so lar:,'f as to be scarcely evi'r wholly ccjiicealed. 'i'he parents show great affection, courage, and anxiety for the safety of their yoimg. keeping up a noisy cackling chirp when the phu c is appro, uhfd, sometimes even boldly pe( king at the hand or flying in the face of the intruder; and they have often seriinis contests with the i)iratical ("uckoo, who slyly watches the ab- sence of the parents to devour their eggs. To avoid these visits an ir- penter. From the petulant and reiterated chirp so comni";ily utttTi-d by the Robin when surprised or irritated, the Indium of Hudson's Hay call him, from this note, Pcc-pi'c-tshii. 'I'luy oftiii also utter a loud echoing 'kh 'kh 'kh, and someiinv.^ chirp in a high or slender tone when alarmed, and witii in affe- "i of the ' ir- comnv'iily be Imlians Isomcii'iv- (1 witii ■•' [the wi'i-- ible nur They are commonly brought up in the rage, ami seem very i()( ile ami content. 'I'hey sing well, readily le irn to imitate lively parts of times, and some have been taught to pipe iotth psalms t\en to so dull and solemn a measure as that of" (>/,/ ////y/(//V(/" .' 'I'lu'y a(i|uire also a considerable taste for mim- ii kry, imitating the notes of most of the birds around them, smh as the Uluebird, I'ewee, Whip-poor-will, and otlu'rs. ( )n Iking ;.|»proached with the finger, they usually maki' some hliow of anger by crai-.king and snapping the bill. At times tli>\ become very tame, and will go in and out of the house with domestic confidence, feel uneasy when left alone, and on siK h occasions have sometimes the sagacity of calling attention by articulating endearing words, as // v//r, //v7/r, etc., connec- tin.u, a])parently with these expressions, their general import of attentive blandishment. They become almost naked in the moulting season, in which they appear to suffer consideraI)ly, yet have been known to survive tV)r 1 7 years or upwards, 'i'he nitoMs color of the breast becomes deepir in those birds wlii( h thus live in confinement. 'I'heir principal song is in the morn- ing, and commences before sunrise, at which time it is \ery liiml, full, and emphatic. 'I'lie eastern form of this species is not found westward of the r"/ri;it Plains excepting in the far North, where it has been traced tn ilir N'ukon district of Alaska. From the eastern base of the Rockies to the Pacific it is replaced \^\ propiiujua. a larger, grayer variety. ! have seen large flocks of Robins in Xew lirunswiek during sniiir winters, and everv year they are more or less eoinmon during the (1)1(1 months. These winter birds have nnicli more white on their under parts than is seen on specimens taken in the summer, '■' ' heir entire plumage is hoary. They doul)tIess spend the sum- tTni( h farther north, — [jroliably on the l)arren lands whi( li '••r tlie Arrtic Ocean, - and are but the nortliernmost edge of Imid of Robins which every autumn rises from their breedinic- • : (Is and sails away soutliward until, when if has tiiially settled, its i;istern margin is found stretclud from theCiulfof St. Lawnaice to the West Indies. Throughout this range, embraeing as it does ni;uiy variatioi- of climate, Robins may be found in suital)le local- ities during « \ winter. — rather rare, sometimes, at the north, but increasin; abundance towards the South. 202 SINGING HIRDS. The habit of this species of assembling in large communiiii^ lo roost at night, during the summer months, was unknown to natnr- alists until a few years ago, and no mention of this liabit api).,irid in print until October, 1S90, when detailed accounts of several "roosts" that had I)een discovered in the vicinity of lioston were published in the "Atlantic .Monthly" and "The Auk." Tlicy were written by Mr. Bradford Torrey and Mr. William Brewster re- spectively. The "roosts" are situated in Norton's Woods, on Beaver Brook, Belmont, in Longwood. and in Melrose. The Robins assembling in these places are numbered by thousands. NoTK. — A few examples of the \'Aiur.n Thrttsh {Hrspcro- citlild nccvia) have wandered from the Pacific coast to the Eastern States: and tiie Rf.d-wixged Tiiuism (^Tiinius iliacus) occasion- ally wanders from Europe to Greenland. WOOD THRUSH. TURDUS MfS'rF.I.IXl'S. Char. Above, tawnv, brightest on head, shading to olive on riniip nnd tail; beneath, white ; lircast and sides spotted with duskv. J.e to S'4 inches. liL't; A\-st. In a thicket or on low branch of small tree, usiiallv in a moist place ; of grass ami leaves ccinented with mud, lined with fine rnuis. Eggs. 3-5; greenish blue ; 1.05X0.75. This solitary and rctiritig songster during stiinmcr iiiliabits the whole continent from Hudson's l!ay to I'lorida ; and ac- cording to my friend Mr. ^\'are, breeds as far south as the vicinity of Natchez, in the territory of Mississippi. \\\m tlier it leaves the boundaries of the rtiitcd States in the winter i- not satisfactorily ascertained ; as the species is then silcm, ami always diffit tilt of access, its residence is rendered peculiarly dotibtfni. 'i"he lateness of tlie season in wdiich it still liiitrcr^ renders it probajjle that it may winter in the Southern St Ue\ as a young binl, gleaning insects and berries, has been ( inu'! ' in a garden in lioston on the 26th of Hctober. From the southern parts of the I'nion, or wherever lie- may winter, the Wood Thrtish arrives in the Middle States fmni the WOOD THRUSH. immunitiL^, to own to natnr- abit api).ar(d ts oi" sc\tral lioston wtre Tliey were Brewster re- 5 Woods, on lumbered by ^H (Ni's/irni- n tlie J'iastcrn uts) occasion- 203 ginning uf Mny. Ae tlit: dira of ' ' "''' '■"''" """ ""•■ ^•^- I'i- |.r«o„ce in the woud.s, a„d fronrdr',* ''""'"" ^'""""">-" mmg through the- dark a,„i shidv hZ, T'' "' '"'""•' '^'" '"■'^' cl™r. and harn,„„i,„.,s notes '|^"'' '"•' """"■ -' '•'» '"v, I- ■!>'■ uuhusia.™ „r re„„v,;;.d '.V t ,' ""'-r'"^'' " "' '"*'-'' son.:; resembles almost the .loubl,. , ', ' '""'"'''' '» '!"» ;-" ■■ '"'kiing, shri,,, and sot , r!"' ^ "'"'' '"™""' " »'""^y retreat like the dir«e 'f "' 'r"'"" '""^ "; ■■'■^■>>n«yha„„ts„f,ife H ,. IT'"-' '"' "'''"'"' "'■" '" ' 1"''^ w l«irs, ivhich '„„:,, I ■,■■'"■ ""'"■'"'' "»"^'"y f"'"' '"™'' 'os^'ther in":::' '" ,"^''*""'" '"-. and I'-'-ins n,ore nrellow and ■ ' """ *°">"'« """-'"y, '"'■■"-■- -en, ,:, .-halle ge !" ^^7 '""•"'"""■ '^"■■'' ""■ '■' ■■•"'' '■>-'"S fi^r the fa™ o teir ' ' '"""'" '-^ "' ->~--".'l -ftertones.. „d ' ""'^■■^ "■"" ^.'-l-theti.,. """" "'■ "«-■ "-arm dispnte he ' , '"'T^ ' >"''""' ^"f^'. ''"'"■ "■"-' °'l>- hirds are ,1 . T' '" ''"* ■""' «l"on.y ^'■'^■^=""' n,ore ron.tan,';^,: ''■" ""-' '"'''^''^ >!'>• ,|,,v. ,he r"'»''-'l--^like,v,ser ; Tr "^ ''-r and im.r. '"■"■ ' "y "-■ 'nu-eller, to n ,:''■""; "'"'' '"''- "^ ■-■lodv ;;'7*'h-^iicnt,d;.k; , ;:'^\"'"f-"""^ ;7'=--''M.hrases|„.sJJ~ ,'.'■''''- "^ilunnit: l,„t '""'■'''''•^''""re,«.a,e, ;■":■'■• ''^"''' '■■''■ '''I'-l.a^ '"'■■-' 'ho* of UVK,,,,;,;.'-V'™-'leral,lere,e„;- ■*■ I'ixh nnd shrill. ' ' ■'"'"' ■"'''"■*". H'en ■,/; ,-,/„ "~ '"• '» intent and even soli. 204 SINGING I5IKDS. citous to remain concealed. His favorite haunts are low, shaily glens by watercourses, often rendered dark with alder-bushcs, mantled with the trailing grape-vine. In quest of his iii>r( i prey, he delights to follow the meanders of the rivulet, thr(;iii,'h whose leafy shades the sunbeams steal only in a t'{:w inter rupted rays over the sparkling surface of the running biouk. So partial is this bird to solitude that I have known onr tu sing almost uniformly in the same place, though nearly luilfa mile from his mate and nest. At times indeed he would \(.ii- ture a few faltering, low notes in an oak near his consort, but his mellowest morning and evening warble was always deliv- ered from a tall hickory, overtojjping a grove of hemlock firs, in which the dimness of twiliglit [jrevailed even at noon. The Wood Thrush, like the Nightingale, therefore feels inspireil in darkness; but instead of waiting for the setting sun, he ch()os(.> a retreat where the beams of day can seldom enter, i licsc shady retreats have also an additional attraction to our Thrush ; it is here that the most interesting scene of his instim live labor begins and ends ; here he first saw the light and brc.uhtd into existence ; and here he now bestows his nest in a Sciplini: oak, or in the next thick laurel or blooming alder, whose hcr- ries afford him ample re])ast in the coming autumn, llictlo, caterpillars, various insects, and in autumn, berries, consiitutt the i)rincipal food of the Wood Thrush. The young remain for weeks around gardens in quest of berries, and are particu- larly fond of those of the various species of cornel and \ibiir- num. At this season they occasionally leave their fuoritt- glens, and in their devious wanderings, previous to their di- parture, sometimes venture to visit the rural suburbs of tin city. The yoimg are easily raised, and sing nearly as well in the cage as in their native wilds. Nuttall made a mistake in giving to the Wood Thrush so ex- tended a range, and must have confused this species with the Olive-backed, of wliieh he makes no mention. The Wood Thrush has not been seen farther north than Massachusetis, soitlR-ni Ontario, and southern M'cliiiran. It nests soutlnvard to ('.'nr.'!.! and westward to eastern Kansas, and winters soulli to Guatemala and Cuba. HERMIT TIIKUSll. i\v, >ha'ly r-bushcs, lis in^eci ;, ihroiigh "cw hULV iig brook. vn oiH' tu irly li>>li"a vcnild \cn- jnsovl. but k-ays (lellv- :mlock lirs. lOon. 'llie inspii''-''! in he chooses tcr. 'i'li^'^^' ; instinctive nd brcailicil in a sailing whose l)tr- n. r.et/tl'N consiituti- [jung remain are pariicu- |l and vibiir- ^eir favoriu- lurbs of I'lK rly as ^vcll in [brush -Div ics NV''li \h Vood TliniA MS, sor'.li^'f-' (\ to l'.''f^'"-''-^ Gual^m'''"^ hf:rmit thrl^sh. SWAMP KOCIN. TURDUS AONAI.ASCIIK.K I'AI.LASII. CilAR. Above, olive, shading to rufous on rump and tail; bencatli \vh:tc' or butiish, shaded witii olive on sides; throat and breast spotted with dark olive. Length ojj to jlz inches. ^\, ./. On the ground, loosely made of leaves, grass, and moss. ■^. .s''*'- 3-5 ; greenish blue ; 0.S5 X o.Ct^. Tiiis species, so much like llie Nightingale in color, is scarce inferior to that celebrated bird in its powers of song, and greatly exceeds the Wood Thrush in the melody and sweetness of its lay. It inhabits the United States from tlie lofty alpine moiintains of New ]Ianii)shire to l''lorida. It is also met with on the tableland of Mexico and in the warmer climate u\ l!ie Antilles. In Pennsylvania, New Jt-'rsey, and New llngland, at the (lose of atittnnn, it a])i)ears to migrate eastward to the sea- co.ist in quest of the winter berries on which it now feeds : in spring and summer it lives chiefly on insects and their lar\\x\ and also collects the surviving berries of the Mitclwlla /v/t/a.-. I.iki' the preceding species, it appears to court solitude, and liv(.s wholly in the woods. In the Southern States, where it inhabits the whole year, it freipients the dark and dcsokite shades of the cane swamps. In the>e almo-t St\gian regions, \vhi( h. l)esides being cool, abound ])rol)ably with its favorite insert food, we are nearly stire to meet our sweetly vocal hermit flitting through the settled gloom, which the brightest rays of noon scarcely illumine with more than twilight. In one of siK h swamps, in the Choctaw nation. Wilson examined a u^st of this species wh.i h was fixeil on the horizontal branch of a trtc, formed with great neatness and without using any plastering of mud. The outside was made of a layer of coarse .urass. having the roots attached, and intermixed with horse- hair; the lining consisted of green filiform blades of dry grass very nea'.'y wound about the interior. In the Middle States these birds are onlv seen for a few mi^^^BB^SBm 206 SINGIXG BIRDS. weeks in the spring and fall. They arrive in this part of Now Kngland about the loth of April, and disjJLTse to pass the summer in the seclusion of the forest. They are often seen on the ground in cjuest of their food, and freijuent low and tiiu k coi)ses, into which they commonly tly for concealment wiun too attentively observed ; though when in small compa\iii,>, m the spring season, they do not appear very shy, but restless from the unsettled state of their circumstances. Whjn dis- persed, they utter a low, chirping call, and for some iinu continue to f-.eciuent the same secluded part of the fiin>t in society. At times, like the \\'agtail, they keep this pan oi their body in a slow, vertical motion. In manners they stnjii-ly resemble the following species, but their song seenis to be unusually lively and varied. The Hermit is a common bird in the Maritime Provinces ami Quebec, and nests from about latitude 44° northward. It is riiiii- mon on Antieosti and along the north sliore of the (iult ol St. Lawrence, and has been taken at bake .Mistassini. In Ont.irin it occurs chietiv as a migrant, thoui^li breeding; in the Miiskokii district. In New Enu'land also it is principally known ;i> a migrant, breeiling in numbers only along the northern border and on the higher !iills of Connecticut and Massachusetts. The nest has been taken in Ohio and in southern Michigan. The opinions expressed by Nuttall that the Hennit Thrusli is a peculiarly shy and solitary bird, and that its favorite resorts aiv amid the deep forests, are. I think, somewhat misleading;: at l('a>t my observations in Xew Urunswick led me to form quite ditiiit:' opinions. I did tind these birds courting retirement and iji! .:• ently destitute of eitlier vanity or curiosity; but they abva\^ d- played a calm s If-po.ssession tliat is inconsistent with sIimh-^ Nor were the\- pecidiarly solitary. b)r thougli it was unusual i" sci a innnber of them in close companionship, it was not unusual tn meet with half a dozen in as many minutes, or to tind as 'naii\ nests within a small area. Like all woodland birds, tliev prefer the groves to the open lich'v and they enjoy a cool sh; ■ in a moist vallev : but they liuii: their nests near the settlemei.iS, and rarelv go into the densi r Imi ests. This is their lia'iit in Xew IJrunswick. thouyli of coiu^si ulu'. farther north tliey must resort to the timber districts: t'lti' arc few settlements to attract them. part of New to i)ass t!u' )ftcn seen on jw and liiK k ilment uIkii onipauii,^, m but rchile.Y'5 Wlun (iis- ■ some tiiiu; f the foiv^t thih jxin of they stnjiigiy iccUiS lo be 'rovinces ami 1. It is Mi;;:- ; (lull oi St. In Oiit;iri() it he IVIiiskdka known a> a n bonkr aiu! S. Till- IK'^t : Thrusli is a L' rcsoiis arc in,l -J' ^^'^'™' '" ■•'■"><• to ihc -^ ^'' ^^ ''^'>'i, nianv of 208 SINGING niRDS. these birds winter in lln' inyrtlc-swamps of South C'arolina. I have not, however, seen them in the Southern States at tiiai season, and most part of the species pass on i)robably as far ;is the coast of tlie Mexican (julf. They do not, accfjrdin,:,^ lo \\'ilson, breed in the lower parts of Pennsylvania, thou,^h un- iloubtedly they do in the mountainous tlistricts, where the\ an- seen as late as the 20th of May. 'I'hey propagate and are \cry common in xMassachusetts. In its retiring habits and love of conceahnent this Thrush resembles the preceding. It frecjuents the dark and shady borders of small brooks and woods, and sometimes the bu^ln and retired parts of the garden; from whence, without Ixini,' often seen, in the morning and particularly the evening U> llic very ajjproach of night, we often hear the singular, quaint, and musical note of this querulous species at short intervals, a- (nic perches upon some low branch of a tree or bush. Tliis ( iiriuib whistling note sounds like 'rv7/// ^v'lrlni ''v'rcJni 'v''rchi't, and sometimes 'red vca 'vnha ''vrcha vchi), running u]) the \\i^w>. till they become shrill and tpiick at the close, in the \\\>\ phrase, but from high to low, and terminating slender and slow, in the latter; another ex])ression seems to be. 'rr'vca vehurr, ascending like a whistle. 'J'he song of another indi- vidual was expressed in the following manner: 'vc 'rill ill '-,ilii'd ' fiillfill ''ttillfil. It was then repeated with variation, Vv rv////;,.' 7-imil riinil : then villUlill rillil/ill, tullilill /ii/lili//; the wIk.Ic agrecablv and singularly delivered in a shrill, hollow vmx. almost like the sound of liquor passing through a tunnel iiilu,, bottle. I have also heard several of these sounds, souietinii- occasionally prefaced by a mewing or chirping warble. IIhh sounds, though monotonous, are possessed of greater Nariily than is at first imagined, the terminating tone or key c hangiiK through several repetitions, so as to constitute a harmon\ aiii: melody in some degree a])proaching the song of the nmri musical Wood Thrush. From this habit of serenadin.L; int the night, the species is sometimes here dignified witii thi nickname of the Nightingale. Occasionally he utters an Mien rather plaintive mew, like the Catbird, or a (juivering \w^'- WILSON'S TIIKLSII. 209 rolina. 1 L-s at thai y as far a> :or(ling U) .hough un- rc lhc\ .\K u\ arc very this 'l'hni>h and shady ;s the hu-^liy ithout hvm cning to ihc , quaint, and ;rvals, a- niic This ennuis ^r'nlii't, ami up thf r.ok> . in tlie lir^t sk'ndcv anil be. "<"'■ '"'■'' another nidi- 'ri7/i// ':"'<'•' almost similar to that of a laml) ; ami when approached, watches ainl i(;ll.nvs the intruder with an ;ingry or petulant . On the 4th of Jime, 1830, I observed two of the.e l.etnlaiit Thrushes thus fiercely and jealously contending; one ui ihem used a j)laintive and angry tone as he chaseil his antagonist up and down the tree. At length, however, a cousin Cathinl, to which this species has some affinity, stepped in be- t^vixt thj combatants, and they soon parted'. One of these liird. had a nest and mate in the gooseberrv bush ..fa nei-h- hnring garden ,; the second bird was thus a dissatisfied hermit, and ..pent many weeks in the botanic C;arden, where, though at limes sad and solitary, yet he constantly amused us with l?is furlorn siuig, and seemed at last, as it were, acquainted with tho.-,e who whistled for him, peeping out of the bushes with a sort (,f complaisant curiosity, and from his almost nocturnal hal.ils became a great persecutor of the assassin Owl whenever he dared to make his a])j)earance. The nest of Wilson's Thrush (commenced about the close of tlu' lirst week in May) is usually in a low and thornv bush in ilK' ,!,irkest part of the forest, at no great distance 'from the i-'iound ^i to 3 feet), sometimes indee,in of the forest on which it rests, and when' approached it siis so close as nearly to admit of being taken up bv the hand. iHc nest sometimes appears without any shelter but shade and association of colors with the pi ue on which it rests. I have seen one placed on a mass of prostrated dead brambles, on a \"i.. I. — 14 ' 210 SIXCILNG BIRDS. fiillcn heap of lilac twigs in a ravine, and also in a smill willicrcd branch of red oak which had fallen into a bush : he- low it was also bedded with exactly similar leaves, so as easily to deceive the eye. But with all these jirecautions they appear to lose many eggs and young by s(iuirrels and other animals. 'I'he nest is usually bottomed with dry oak or beech leaves, coarse stalks of grass and weeds, and lined very generally with naturally dissected foliage, its stalks, some fine grass, and at other times a mixture of root-fibres; but no earth is employed in the fabric. The eggs, 4 or 5, are of an emerald green with- out spots, and differ from those of the Catbird only in beiiii,' a little smaller and more inclined to blue. So shy is the s])r, jcs that though I fi'igned a violent chirjjing near the nest contain- ing their young, which brought Sparrows and a neighhoriiii,' l)altini(3re to the rescue, the parents, peeping at a distance, djil not venture to ap])roach or even express any marked coik ern, though they prove very watchful guardians when their brnml are fledged and with them in the woods. They have coin- monly two broods in the season ; the second being raiseil about the middle of July, after which their musical notes are but seldom heard. I afterwards by an accident obtained a young fledged bird, whi( h retained in the cage the unsdcial and silent timidity peculiar to the species. Wilson's Thrush 1)rceds farther to the southward than the Her- mit, hut does not range ciuite so far nortli. It is common in tlie Maritime Provinces and near the city of Quebec, but has not Ijctii taken recently on the nortli shore of the Ciulf of St. Lawrence. It breeds abundantly in Ontario and in northern Oliio. In New Brunswick I have found the nest as frequently in an open pasture as in more obscure places. GRAV-CIIEI-KED rilRUSIl. 211 sni 111 i cMMly inhnals. leaves, lUy Nvith i, anil at mploynl :cn wilh- 1 iK'inii a c spicics ■_ contain- ighlixrin:^ Lance, (li'l I coiv ern, icir bvoml aave com- ing raised 1 notes are )l)taineil a e unsocial Ian tlu' Her- nmon in the Lvs not Ikh'H [wrence. 1' hentlv i;^' ^•• OLIVE-BACKED THRISH. TURDUS ISiri.ATl'S SWAINSOMI. Thar. Above, olive ; bcncatli, white, shaded with olive on the sides ; side- 111 head, iieek, and breast tinj^cd with bull; throat and breast iii'.il with olive; yellowish liny aiDund the eye. l.ingth 6^3 to inliir' iW'l. In a low tree or bush ; of twigs, leaves, grass, etc. /iV.,.*. J-4 ; greenish blue speckled with brown ; 0.90 X 0.65. 'riiis speeies was omitted by Nultall. th()iiL;li jiiveii bv \V ilsnn. It has nnuh the same ran,s;e and similar li:ibits as the Ileiiiiit, tlioutih dill, ring in its soii.c; and tlie location of its nest. 'I'he tone of ils voice is richer anil rounder more llute-Iike and less metallic — th.iii that of any otlier of the small Thrushes; but the soni; lacks that spiritual quality so conspicuous in the liym the i lerniit. n-lil melody of Till' Olive-backed is found throughout the tem])erate re; .1011 ot eastt rn North America, and westward to tiie eastern b;ise of tl le Rock ics. It 1 )ree(ls \n n( )rtliern New Miigland and northward and in the elevated i:)ortioiis of .Massachusetts and Coniuiticut, as utll tlicrn New N'ork and MichiLran, and winters in the liiilf as in nortlu'i'ii Stales and southward to i'anama. It is common in the Maritime Provinces, but is reported rather rare between Montreal and L;ike Huron, tliough it being an abun- dant migrant through Ohio, I should expect to tind it plentiful in portions of Ontario. GRAV-rHKEKb:i ) THJIUSH. ALICE'S TlIIU'SIl. TURKfS Al.lCI.K. •"hm;. Above, olive ; cheeks grayish; beneath, white; sides tinged Willi uiive; throat and breast tinged with luiff and marked with large dark >liots. Length 7 to 734; inches. y^-f. Tn a low bush or on the ground; of grass and leaves, etc., l:ne(l with fine grass. f-is'-^'- 3-4; greenish blue spotted with brown; 0.90 X 0.70. After much contention as to the validity of Alice's Thrush as a variety of the Olive-backed, tlie systematists have decided to give it 212 singim; ijirds. spccilic rank. In appcaram c it ilitl'iis from jaW//.yo;/// chicth in lackiiiLC tl'c yi'llow around the vyv, and in liavin;^ .^''-'y insli; i'! ot hiitf rliL'L'ks. Aliciir is also a trillc tlu- lari^LT of llu- two. The distrihution of liic i^rcsciit species lias not yet jjeeii thdr- ou^Idy worked out, for only a few years have passed sint e its (liseovery; Inil it is known to occur m the I'nited States anil the settled jiortions of Canada as a migrant (jnly, breeding nurili to the Arctic, and winlcring .south to Costu Kiea. BicKX i:i,!;s rii risii. 'IVkhis Ai.ici.v: i;ii km.i.ii. Char. Above, nlivr, varvini; from a uriiyish to a russet tnit ; uiiii:- and tail slightly biowiar than b.u.k ; (li>iiiicl linu of p.ile butf .uoiiml \Vx eyes; cheeks biUtisli ; bcncatli, whitt-, tini;L(l with olive nn the -uk-, throat and breiist tinj^td with hnlf and in.ukid with large (l.uk -pni- I^ength 7 to -,Vz inches. At'.iA On tliL' ground, in a thicket; coiii|io>ed of twigs, grass, and muss, lined with grass. Avs'*' 3-4 ; P'l'c blueish green spcckl'-d with brown ; 0.S5 X 0 dy This variety of the ( iray-( heeked Thrush was discovircd bv Mr. iiugene I'. I'dcknell amid the Catskdl .\b)untains in 1SS5. It has bci'n found on all the higher ranges of l^asteni .America and in Illinois, and .Mr. Langille claims to have discovered the nest on an ksland off the southern coast of Nova Scotia. w.vn.R iTiRrsfi. WATI'.R \V.\r,T.\!I,. SkII:RUS \( )VK1!( )|<.\( i-.N.sis. CllAR. .\b()ve, decji olive l)rown ; lino over the eye whitish: iKMioatV white tinged with bright vellmv. and spotted with olive. Length ;':ij 6 inches. A'i'st. On the ground, in border of swamp or stream; bnlkv, rl loosely mrule of moss, leaves, and grass, lined with roots. Soinctinicj deeply imbedded in mf)ss, or covered with it. /Ti.'-j.nf. 4-6; white, spotted, most heavily near the larger cml, hIk brown and lilac; 0.75 X o 55. WAILR rilKLSH. 213 iLtK in Lin ilior- iini I' it-> , iiiul Uu' nurili lo a.irk -\M\>- ^s, ;uul lU"". 5 X o.i'S- icovi'vuil liy 1SS5. It imei-ira ami tislv. iH-n"'"' |T,cni;th .^'^w ,. bulkv, ar: Soinetiiiii-' |gc>' li This shy ami retiring sylvan species extends its sununer tiii;;i.ilions thruuj^iiDiit the I'nited Stati's, breeilini; rarely in |\ iiiiNvlvania, proceeding jirincipally to the western and ii.iiiluTn regions at the period of inciilciiion. Mr. Toun^rnii .lU't in Vielf t>bserveil this bird in ( )re!Jon, as wel as II I M i>^(iun. wlnre it was, no doubt, breeding, and sung in a very lively iiiiniiiT, kei'ping in a shady wood which bordered a small >lit ,1)11, often descending to the ground after a(|uatic insects or liiA.i', and with the tail in a constant balancing motion, re- iiiinliiig us strongly of the Wagtail or Motacilla of lairope. 1 lie Aipiatic Thrush has, indeeil, a parli( uiar partiality for llir \ HI iiitv of waters, wading in llu' shallow streams in search insects, moving Us tail as it leisure ly foil ows its ])ursuit. aiK eh itlrrinif as it llies. )uriiiLi Its transient miuratiiiLr visits it is vri\' timid, and darts into the thickets as soon as approached, iiUirmg a sharp and rather |)laintive A////' of alarm. About inning of May, these birds appear in reimsylvania tVoiii the South, and slay around dark and solitary streams for ten or luilve days, and then disappi-ar until about the middle of .\iiL;ii>t, when, on their way to their tropical winter ([uarters, tlK\ leave the swamps and mountains of their summer rt'treat, ami, after again gleaning a transient siibsistenci- for a few days tow 1)1 Is the sea-roast, de])art for the season. In Massachu- sctt,-, tliev are scar celV t \-er seen except m the autumn, and I'lintiiiue in sliadv ■arc lens. probablv feeding on small wild heme till nearlv the close of SeptembiT. It appears, according to Wilson, that the fivorite resort of tll;^ species is in the cane-brakes, swamps, ri\'er shores, and \v:iler\- solitudes o f I .ouisiana. ennessee aim M ISSH-,1I)|I1. n'U- It IS abundant, and is emineiith- di^tiumiishe(l Idlli ilness, sweetness, and expressi\-e \i\-a( ity of its notes, which. hf'iinning hiirh and cl I'ar, ll ow and desct'nd in a .'adence so 'lelir.ite as to tiTuiinate in rouinN that are scarcely audible. At Muh times the singer sits jierehed on ^ollu■ branch which stretdies im])ending over the tlowing stream, and ]iours out his 'li:uiriing melody with such t'lk'ct as to taiK e of nearlv half a mile, Lrivinir heard at tli<' dh a ])eculiar charm to the dark 214 SINdINO niKDS. and Mjlitary wilds lie inliahits. 'I'hc silLiicc of iiij^'ht isaUu. ii times, relieved by tlu' incessant warble of this Western I'hilo- tnel, whose voice, breakiiij^' upon the ear of the 1 mely travi llir in the wiiii|ipi were doubtless rci'erabk' to iiiotacilliX, for though the present >\y cies is found throughout this Eastern Province, west to Illinois and Manitoba, it seldom has been discovered breedini.' south of 4; . h is a rath(;r conuiion spring- and autunm visitor to .Ma>sacli llM On the plains the tyjje is replaced by the variety named iinlit — < ilMWIXl-'s WA IICK 'I'llKISlI. dii cli is lari^er and (lai k.:r Notabilis occurs occasionalh' in Illinois and Indiana. LOUISIANA WATKR THRUSH. Sf.ILKIS MorACIM-A. Cli\R. Simihrto )torch,n;u-i'ii.us, but larjicr, and hill lonf^erand -t 'Uti.-: Undfr jiarts tinged with ImlT, Imt never witii bright yellow; thro.it iriv from .■.i)()ts. Ixngtli 5'+ to (i'< inches. Nest. On the ground, hidden amid roots of fallen tree, or on a iiio>-; bank ; coniiioscd of leaves, grass, and nioss, lined with grass and Ii.it. ^;V-f. 4-'^'; white, sometimes with creamy tint, speckled with Ir-iv. and lilac; o 75 Xo 60. The range of this species extends from southern New I-Jiirla'i'- and the (Ireat Lakes (in suninier) to the Gulf States and Centra. America (in winter). A few i)airs are seen every sea.son in southem Ontario. Its habits do not differ from those of its congener. s alsK. at n I'hi'o- tr;ivi llrr vhcn the isiilcraMy )()thcs his >, f;iVt>riU' rated from l)ir(K Ml a Missis-ii'l'i jruscnl ^pe- Illinois inc! h of 45 • It ;\du\StUs. and darker. cr and -' ■'''■'•' .V ; diroai Irtc lor on -i I"'" Is ami 1 = r 1(1 Willi !'r''.v-. and Crutn. In in >"'''li^'^-' Imcncr. o\i;n iiiKi). GOLUKX-CKOWNKI) TIIKUSII. SkIURUS AL'KOCAI'Il.l.rs. CiiAR. Abf)vc, olive ; crciwn orangc-hiown, liordcrcd with black stripes, wliih liii.n around the eyes; heneath, white, s|K)itc(! with nlivc. I.tii,i;tli 5'; til (I'i inches. A', ','. On tiie ground, at tiie foot of a tree or in the moss on a deraved loj; . ratlier loosely made of twigs, grass, leaves, and moss, lined witli line gr,i-- and hair. The top is often completely roofed, sometimes arclud or (iniiud; the entrance on the side. /:.,■'. .(-6; creamy wlute, spotted with brown and lilai- ; o.So >^o.55. This rather common l)ir(l, so nearly allied to the tnic Thrii>hts, is found throughont the forests of the United States, Canada, and in the territory of Oregon during the sinnmer, nni\iiig in the Middle and Northern States about the beginning oi' May or close of .April, an'l departing for tro]ii(al .\nierica, MiAiro, and the larger \\'est India islands t'aily in Seiitiinber. The C'lolden-crowned Thrush, shy rind retiring, is ne'\er seen out of the shade of the woods, and sits and nms along the .Uronnd often like the Lark; it also fre(|iienls the branches of trees, and sometimes moves its tail in the manner of the \\'ag- taiK. It has few pretensions to song, ;ind while jien bed in the dre|) and shady part of the forest, it titters, at intervals, a simple, long, reiterated note of '/x/i\: tslir tfh.c tsJir tslu\ rising fnjin low to high and shrill, so as to give bnl little idea of the (li^tanre or place from whence the sonnd proceeds, and often appearing, from the loudness of the closing cadence, to be much ^'«fl 216 sixci.Nc; i;iui)S. lUMirr th.in it really is. .\^ somi as discoxcrcil, like the Woo,! iiii^li, it (laits at OIK r 'imidU' into the (Iciniis of its sv \.iii retreat hiirinn tlie iHiiod of iiieiihation, llie deliber lie I. IV of the male, iroiii somi' hori/.oiital branch nf the forest tre wlu're it often sits iisiiallv still, is a 'A/'/' (, |^||(■ /, /Ji,- /, /,//, [,nadiially \\>\\vd^ and ;ro\vin^ louder. 'I'owards ijiisk in lh( (.'veniiu noue\ ( r, it now and then utters a siiddm hnrsi (jf notes with a >hoil, at;reealile waible, whi< h leMninales (on nuaib- in ihe usiial V^/ze A- t^lir. Its < 1 ilioiis o\en-slia|)ed Mot is known to all the sportsmen who tra\eis( he solitary uili|s w hn h It inhabits. 1 his ingenious labru is :.':;,k ,1 h,de into \\\v Ljroimd, ;ind generally situatiMJ on sonn- drv and iiu)ss\- hmk <(iniii;iious to biishesor on an uik leared siiriaee • it is joinird Willi iiieal neatness, ol dr\' ol urass, ami hned with iln same ■ it is tinai Miriiioimled b\ a thi( k im lined roof of si, hi- lar maleiials, llie siirfiii' seattereil with l(a\-es and twi^s so .i-, to m il( h the lesl of the ground, an tl»' , I'liinit'l, w'nli llir vi.us ^" •1'' lofl :>' ''»■ 111 (liii^li ^•(1:11 il.'l s iVuin llii' 11 illUHIlil |l,r Mil (.• t<, i'^ aiiiiUuT cai' liinUi li:i\^' ilU'l, lU'Ol'lrl' ■niov' i IS M\irii.i'. w.\ki;i.i:R. \ l.l.I.O'A-Kl'MI' WAKlll.l.U. Nl.lldW ( Uu\\\i:i) \VA K III .I' K. I »l \|iK( i|( A ( ( iKi i\ \l \. (IIM;. M.ilr: ;ii)(ivc, hliii^b i:,i.i\ si leaked willi M.k k ; sidrs ntlii.iil li,,ii k ; Ima^l and >idcs iimslK hknl^; |i.iiilic>, nf yclluw on (mwn and iiiui|> A]\i\ ^ides 1)1 l)U-a-~l ; llnn.il and 1)( ll\ uliili- , winL'. dials and pali Ins (in 1 ail uliiir. I'i-nialc, v mniL', and nialr in winUi : "-iniilai, Imt the li.n k wiik a ill, I 111 111 'VII in |ila( r ,,\ liliiu, and all laildis duller, and iiiai kinj;s li-~- dlslim I. la n;;lli !^ In () Jiu lu's. .\. 1/ In a ( oiiilii'ius lita- 5 to 10 ficl finni tlic ground, in a ii.^tmc 01 ;i;.rn :;iii\L' (if vvundlaiid; ('iau|ins((l ol' lu i_L;s and i;ia----, lintil with line gr.is. , Sdiiii 1 iini-s Willi lialla I s, .15; (lull uliiii- nr ( rcainv wliilc, .>-|)iilt((l (lii(il\- ainnnd tin- /• laii;' I (lid uidi liiowM and ac ; (J. 70 ,■ o. ;o. 'die lii'-torv t)l tins nitlur (ohhik 111 W iihliT ta-in.iiii> \iT\' iiii|iiir(( 1. Ill the Mi(Mk- ,1 111(1 Nncllicill Slates ii Is a iiiii| u\ :c, airuiiu from llic South al II Hit lie ( l( )sc ( I liciMIllll iiL! of \\:w, and |ir( tnlier. ihev iiiav he seen, at tunes, ( n\\r< iitiL,' L:r,isslio|i].eis an iiii'tli- liom the meadows and iiistiires, and, like the iJlue ilir( a'V otteii wall h lor the appear IlK (■ ol imrai .tak< iW iHlll'jIl, or lelK (■ r, th( ir prev trom a nia;di- , and at this t ime ah so the voiiliLr. as I'earlesslv md nnsiis|)i('ioiis. parln ularls' . li almost nithill the rea( h of the silent spectator. .\t 2l8 SIN(JL\G BIRDS. llu- i)LTi()(l ui' mi^raiion, tlicy appear in an altered and lc.-,s l)rillianl drc^s. 'I'hc briglit yellow >.pol on the crown i^, mnv edL,a(l with bnjwnish uli\e, ^o tliat llie prevailing color of ihis beautiful mark is oiil)- ^,een on shedding the feathers with the hand ; a brownish tint is also adde.ned with gleaning food. s])ring ihi'y :\rc still more timid, busy, and restless. Accoi to Audubon, the nest and eggs are scan ely to be iu'il fi"(jm those of Sy/j'ia (r.\//7'a ; one whi( h he examined iVnin Xova Scotia was made in the extremity of the branch of a luw fir tree, out five feet from the ground. When appr •OH ai( or while fei of alarm. 'I'his beautit'ul >pecies arri\es here about the y'.ii or Sih of May, and now chielly tVe<[iients the orchards, uti' riiii; at short intiTvals, in the morninLT. a sweet and varied, raiur r< -^ei ubling in ]iart the song of the S lunuiK'r plaintive warb Yellow llird, but much more the firewell. solitary autnniii:: notes o( the Robin Kedbreast of Murope. 'j'lic tones at t UK'S are also m) \entnloi|uia 1 and \- iriable m elevation that it i-> iMt alwavs eas\- to ascertain the spot when ce hev proceed W iiie thus engagcil in ([ue^t of small caterpillars, the Myrtle rllis almost insen^^ible to obtrusion, an jjrey, howe\er near we mav approai h. d familiarly searches lor its The ■• Nel !)ice(ls rcLiulai low-ruini) hv wliuli name tins snorios is 1' Iv ill W'niinnt and .\ew I bun best )^hiiv, nnd k':i)\vn !, >rtli- ward to soiitliern babrador. It is an abundant sunimer n- iK i "t the .\buatinie rrovinces. but elsewhere, in the settled portiensof Canada, occurs as a niinrant only. It winters regularly in .\I issa- chusitts and central Ohio, and thence southward as far as Ct : tral .\meiica. VELl.OW I'ALM WAKliLER. 19 YELLOW 1'AL^[ WARJJLICR. \ i.I.I.UW Kl.D-l'ULL WAKDLEK. IJI.MikoHA I'AI.MAKL .\1 ii\ I'OCl IKN Sl.A. ( IIAK. Above, lji()\viii>li (ilivi: ; ruiii|i )xll(>wi>li, clii>ky strtakN 011 tiio Ixi' k ; iiiiwii clR>luut ; lim.- u\xi' cyi.- .ukI iiiKkr parts rich _\cIIia\ ; hica.-^t aiiii sidt.s >ir(jakctl Willi brnwu ; 110 wiiilc wIiil; bars; s(|uari.- patches ot unite 1)11 two pairs ul iiuler tail-lealliei>. l,en,e,lh 5 U) 5/4 inciio .\,,.('. (In llie yiDund 1)11 border ul sw.uiip; hjusely made i^i yrass, welds, and moss t'.i>leiied wiih caterpillar's >ilk, lined with roots, liair, piiic-iieedles, or leathers. >'■^v''• ■\-S' '-•'-■■"iiy while, soiiieiinies with ro>eate UnL;e, marked on larL;er eml with line spoL.^ ol brcnvn and lilac; 0.65 X 0.50. 'I'lie Wllow Keil-polls in sm.ill iiiiinlifrs nrriw in [he Middle nnd .Norlhcrn Slalcs in liic month of .Xjiril ; nian\' jiroci't'd as f.ir as Labrador, wiicrc they wt-re seen in siimnier by .Xtuhilion, and in the month of .Xnt^iist the yotniL; were irenerally fled,i,'i'(L \n die Southern States they are nbn.idant in winter. While lirrr, like many other transient ]:)assen<,^iTs of the fiinilv. they aiijicar extremtdy bnsy in qtu'st of tlu-ir restless insect |>rey. Til 'N- fri'i|iient low, swampy thickets, are rare, and their few f ( Mr notes ;ire said scarcely to deserve tiie name of a sonj:^. 1 ! I -e straL,rglers remain all summer in I'ennsvKani 1, but the ii( -t is unknown. 'I'hey dejiart in Septtinber or rjrly in Octo- !)i r. and some jirobably winter in the soiitlurnmosi States, ;is llu'v were met with in Liliniary, by Wilson, near Savannah. This is ;i different sjieeies from the i'alm Warbler, whi( h prob- alih iloes not exist in the I'nited States. I his bird a]i]X'ars yet to be very little known. Pennant has 1110,1 strant^ely blended up its description with that ( d' the R';!i\ I fowned Wren I h.is supposed female being pre( isely tint bird. The I-".astcM-n form of the ralin Warbler is a common ])ir(! from tfr \;l,iiitie to the Mississi])pi \allr\-. wlure it is replaced bv tnic ihi'nndniiii. 'I'hc i-!asti'rn bird i'. abmulanl in summer in niirtliern Ma:!ir and New lirimswii k. and Atibtibon eonsideri d it eonmion in Labrador, though late observers there li.tve ran 1\- lutind it. s.-S5;i!.HWiyr-'~*:".f*^*»""* 220 SINGING BIRDS. i\Ir. Xcilson thinks it umoniinon iicii' nornald, Quchcc. and says hu never slcs a s|)cciinLii later than June 1st. Dr. Wlicaton has repoiled it as a cornnu)!! migrant liiruugh Ohio, hut it is re- purleti rare in Ontario. .XattaH's statenieiii. Ijorrowed from Wilson, that s(nnj remained in J'eimsylvania duiiiiL; tlie Ijrecding season, has not been conlirnied Ijy more recent observations. It winters in tile .Southern and vlull States. In habits this species stands [)eLuliar. Unlike oi\\cr Dciufroicu'. it nests \j\\ the ground, and uidike al! other Warblers, it .sliows a strong preterenee lor tields and road-sides, where it may be louii'l lio])ping along with the Sparrows, and Hirting its tail like a Titlark. The song is a verv simple atlair, — a lew sweet notes. NoTi':. — The I'ai.m Wakiii.i;k [Dendroica palmaniin) differs from hvpochrvsra in being smaller and much didler colored. It 's usu.dlv restricted to tlie Mississi|)pi valley: but some winter 'w. Florida, and occa.sional!y a solitary straggler has jjcen seen in il c Atlantic States. Al 1)1 imn's W AUi'.i.KK {Dendroica audnhoni). though a bird ,)f the Wi>stern Plai:is, has a right to mention here through one e.xani- ple li:i\'.'ig u been taken in Cambridge. Mass. vi:i.i,ow w.\ri;t.i:r. SUMMTK VELLOW BIRD. SUMMllK WARBbFR. I )I \ltki>|c,\ /KSllNA. CllAR. rrencr.'il color golden yt How, ujiper ii.M-t> tii\i;cd with olivu ; breast and sides streaked with oringi- l)rou!i. l,enL;tli .['j to 5'4 incbis. ,\',,7. On a Ijiisli or low tree, in a .garden or open pasture ; gracet'ully fornieil and roinpactlv woven, t)f various vegetable fibres, — grass, steins, etc. — usna'.lv lined witli hair or plant down, sometimes with feather-. /•.'^;;o-. j;-3; dull white or greenish white, marked chielly around die larger end with brown and lilac; 0.65 X 0..15. 'Hiis very conimoii .and brilliant siiiiinicr si)ccic's is found, in all i)arts of the American continent, frc^m tlic confines of die .\ictic cifi le to I'ldriila and Texas, as w(dl as ()reg()n and liic Kockv MdUiilains. where it sjiends tlu' mild season. .\b"Ut the midiUe of Mar(li I already heard the song amidst the YELLOW WAKIJLLK. 121 :, and icaUin L i.N VI-- V'ilson, reason, ilcrs in i-(vV«". it. hows a IC lOUU'l Till ark. !) diflcrs ■d It '^ ,vinlcv in ;en in tlic a bird of DUO exani- with olive ; rr;i<;i.iiiliv fv allu'V-- arouiul i'''y s fonnd m I lies ofiii^' |in anil !■'"-' in. A^""^^ early 1)l()oniin,L( thickets and leafy wouiU (jf the Altnmah.i ; hut the birds do not arrive in Pennsyhania ancr in the Central .States of the Lnion, or as soon as their >' < on«l brood are cai)a- ble of joining the migrating host, they disappear, probalily in the twilight, and wing their way by easy staj^e-. to their tro])- ic'l destination, ])as^iing through I>(juisiana in October and aiiiiearing at length about Vera Cruz, whence ihey spread their numerous host through tropical America to (Juiana, Cawnne, St. Domingo, and other of the larger contiguous i-iland^ of the Wist Indies. This is a very lively, unsuspicious, and alino-i fimili.ir little liiid, and its bright gol.ien color remlers it very r on^ipii uous, .1^ iu |)ursuit of flitting insec^ts it ])ries an^ and other species a variety of small lar^'jc and i ater- liill.ir-., on which they delight to feed. While inccsMantlv an//' 'filotia, or t:hr tshr till fslnixiir fs/ir fshc ; this last phrase rather plaintive and inter- ni- iiory, as if expecting the recognition of its mate. Some- tiiiu :., but particularly at'ter the ( ()mmen< ement of incubation, I more extended and pleasingly modulated song i^ hennl, as se A /,■ fflutshoo, or tsh' tsh' ish' tshfctsJioo. '/she 'tJie '/Jte 't. lear to raise mi'ie than a single brood. 1 he nest, in Massachusetts, is commnnh' fixe! in thf forks "f 1 barberry bush, close shrub, or sapling, a fe-w feet from the - .. .^.>»^ jjiBaggawi -too SIMUXG BIRDS. |i * ground ; at other times, I have known the mst placeil nj)()n th< horizontal branch of a h()rnl)cani, more than 15 feel Iron: the ground, or even 50 feet Iiigh in the fortes of a thiclc sugai- majjle or orchard tree. These lofty situations are, however, extraordinary; and the little architects, in instances (jf thi> kind, sonu'linies failof gi\iug the Usual security to their hal)il;i- tion. 'i'lu' nest is extren.ely neat and durable ; the e.\teri(jr is formed of layers of .hcit'/'itis, or silk-weed lint, glutinou>ly though slightly attached to the suiiporting twigs, mixed with some slender slri'js of fine bark and pine leaves, and tin1 of soft cow-hair. I'he season proving wet and stormw tin nest in this novel situation fell over, but was carried, with ii r young to a safe situation near the ]>iaz/i of the house, wl. :( the jiarents now \'vi.\ and reared their brood. The labor '■: forming the nest seems ol'ten wholly to devolve on the fern I ■. On the loth of Ma\- I observed one of these industrious matrniis busily engaged with her fabric in a low barberry bush, and hy the evening of the second day the whole was comjileted, to i:u' lining, which was made, at length, of hair and willow down, ni which she collected and carried mouthfiils so large that c often appeared almost like a mass of ll\ ing cotton, and far 1 - ceeded In industry her active neighbor, the r.altimore. a •' was also engaged in collecting tlie same materials. Notw';V VK[.r,,\V WAki;,.!.,., ^tandin,;^ this indiisirv- fl, . ^~'^ --r"'"'-''^-'-.^ »:.;!;:.::;:' ~^ i r'; ■'"''''"•'"■ I'^^mCT '"""''■■■"'.1 oniu. ^'■^'!>'^', so that in m.n,. .•„...._ '. '' "; '1'^''' t"(lgc only I >rivir :p^'"-. - .-,:„ ,„ „„„, ™,; :;:',f ;;;Y'; , -.■ ^... o..,„ CI.'. «c.-,|,„ fron, tl,, „,„,l,i,,n ' '' "'^" ""^ -l>^- al^ r i..T mm. f">tu-j,aro„t ,vl,e„ ,|,c egg ;, , ,. , J" a t/iinl, after ■) T'lw ii • i- ^ ^ "^^' 11 ■')■ .i^ivin?'- ^^^^ond u-as Jai.I, whi.h '1-^^' to a threc-storie or ^vhen the "■;i-s si mi I ne^t. ha-I fly trc, ■en Ut IMlis ihus feiLriis I; 1/11/ t" <-mrart attention fr iniencss. ham ne: ""Htain,- oni lt^ nest, aluii: f'lin !ii,it tl '" the path of th "ic: Its tail an,l h< t»nl\- mil "-' intrusion had f spectator ;it otl li, hnidcn-d by bl.ick and wliilf; luiiia.lh, rich Vfliuw, tlii( kly s])(ittfd nil l)iH.i>l and siilcs with Mark: \\in,n-bai> and lail-pati lies wliilc. I'Vnialc : similar, but colors diilki, and b.ick .sonii.'timt'.s ontiixly oli\c. A'rs/. On a liori/oiital branch ol spruce oi lir, usiiallv ^ In (> |\ct lii.ni tlu; Ljround, but .-.uiin-tinifs hij^lici ; made of twij;s ami i^rass, lined uuii fine black roots. /uxr. 4-15; creamy while, >|Hjited with lilac and several shades ui l)rowii ; 0.60 X 0.50. 'ITiis rare and heatiliful s])L'ci(.'s is (M-cnsionally seen in \rrv small nunilKTs in the Southern, Midille. and Northern States, in the s]irin,tj; season, on its way to its Northern l)reedin!4-])la( r^. In Massachusetts 1 have seen it in this vicinity about the nnd- (lle of May. Its return to the St)Uth is ])rol)al)ly made through the western interior, — a route so generally travelled hy mo-i of our birds of passiLje at this season ; in conseciuence of \\hi( h they are not met with, or but very rarely, in the .Atlantic Si ites in autumn. In this season they have been seen at sea oil' the island of Jamaica, and have been met with also in Ilisp mi .li, whither tlii^y retire to pass the winter. lake all tht- rest of the genus, stimulated by the unquiet ])roi>ensity to migrate, thcv pass only a few days with us, and ap])e;ir jierpetually emplcvcil in inirsuing or searching out tht'ir active insect prey or la;\ v: ami while thus engaged, utter only a lew chiri)ing notes. '\'\w Magnolia has a shrill song, more than usually protracted on the approach of wet weather, so that the Indians bestow up'>n it the name of /ur/// Bird. .According to .\ttdubon, mai;. <»! these birds breed in Maine and the I'ritish Provinces. ,1- \vt 11 as in Labrador, and extend their summer resident-e to the banks of the Saskatchewan. They have also a clear antl sweetly modulated song. .Although rare in the United States, it appears, accordinj to Richardson, that this elegant sjiecies is a common bird ow tb.e MA(.\<»1,1A WAKlU.i; 22 c ; rump icli VI-' I l.iU .aul lUS .•lUllLlV li.llU ^ U 1" the Sask,U(lu\v:in, wluTr il i> as taiuiliar as tlu' cdiii- mo M Sumim-r W'llow I'.inl ( .V. ,uil'tr(l arii'd and a^L^rcrabk' soii^. ll tVi.'(|iniil-> the thii kris (jf \()unL( si inicL'- trees ami willows, tliitiiiLf from liran< h ( iiv^cly in lis inaiiiu'rs Mxa iii it:-. l)n.'(.'(lin,u station, with a morr til I) r iiu li, at no great distance from the ground. acti\el\' cii- l''Cll in tin- capUire of winged insects, which now constitute n. 1 irincip.il tare () u ft li"m lUK'C 1 sh:ul UlU' ■ell in \' rv n States, in ing-l ,1a. t the u (le ihn' 1)V nu)sl f whi( mil e o antic a oil y\\\\ dis, ' rest ot I'mrate. iinv •molovcu ox lote^ arv;\.' : Icted on \ow 111 till- >n it .M iL'iiolia is not so rare a liird as Xuttall siii)posr( mdcen rumn ion everywIuTe hctweeii the Athuitie and the ea.^li rn ol the Rockies, hreedin^' in inirtluT'i New \. and and northern portions o t i\ ew \ork. () no, and .M leliiuan. .ir.( lluncc to l.aliiador and (Ireat Slave l.aki III .Massaehusetls it is ehi .Ml 111 ti nil s \V illKiin iJr elly a spring; .uid autumn \ isiidr, tli(iiii;h ewsl', r I'ouud a tew pairs nesting in the In rk>l lire It winti rs in (.'eiitral America, Cuba, and the 1 lanam.is. Its ll ihils this bird combines the Cnn-per and the f'b ( atcluT Warbler tasi 11(111, pickiii;;' insects and lai"\.e tnun tlir LiMn- ■ t the ba mites. rk and from the leaves, and i- ipluring 1)11 llir w inn' the The favorite neslim'' site is tlu iorder ot ,1 w iio( (ir ,111 open pasture, though 1 ha\e lound nests in the deep Idlest, usuallv on the ni.irgin of an ()|)eii i^lade. H' SOUL IS W irblerdiki; m lis smiphcitx'. vet is an attractive iiU'liiilv. the tones sweet and musical. Niittall's idea that the autumn mnte of mi^i'ation taken b\' more nnitheni breeding birds lies somewhere to iht.' westward of New I'.n^laiul, is not consistent with more recent obser\atit tlio 220 SLNGINLi 151 RDS. CAi'i': M.w u.\ri;i,i:r. J)|,MiKi)U A I H.KIW. CliAi;. Male : lirick ycllnw ish nWw, wiili (l.irki i spots ; crown l)Iackish; cai-|i.ilLh cliustiuit ; liiiu Imm Iiill armiinl the eyes hhu I. ; rimip yellow, \vin,.',-l)ai> uliite and fused into one laii^e pateli ; wliite lilolilies on tliui. l)aii> ot lail-leatlier> ; lieneaili, yellow tin};ed with orange on < hin ,ii,tl iruat, tl bael )tted with lilael n breast am 1 sidi I'Vinalc : siniihu, 1; grayish, a nd laek ^tinetive marking on head; iiiuler parts jia I'lit i-r; sixUs un wings and tail smaller or ol)senre. .\c../. Ii 1 a past me )|)en woodkmd, on low braneh of small tree; ;i neat, eup-.>lia|ied >trueture, jjartially pensile, eomposed of tu ig.-. and gi.i^s fastened with spider's webbing, lined with Iioim hair. /•; wliite or Iml'f V, siiglille s|ii.i ke( and wre athetl ;irouiul larger end with s|)ots of brown and lilae ; 0.70 X 0.50. 'I lis \er\ r;ire' W'aiMcr li;is oiiK lu'eii sci'ii near llir s w;! 11 ins ol Cajie' May by I'.dward llariis, I'ImI- ; near .MouieslDWii, in New Je'isey ; and in llie \i(inity oi I'hilailclphia, al)()tit the miildle of Ma\', — pfobaMy as a slfaiii^ler on its \\a_\- to some Northeni bieedini; iilaanks near St. John, \. B, lianks's nest, whicii I had tlie privileg,e of exainining'. was cnn; pletelv hickleii amid the dense foliag,i' of a (lumi)of ceihirs. gro viii. on an o|ien In ll-sid e. and ciuite close to a much-used thor OUL • IIV. When liist disiovered it was unthdsiied, and the female w.s ;U work upon it. The male never a])peared. nor was lie heard i:: tl vicinity, though the spot was visited frequentlv. After four i^C-- had been laid. femaU'. nest, and eggs were "gjathered," The sjK'cies had not been oliserved before near St. John. tlMim' Mr. lioardman had reported takings examples at St, Step]ien"s. an. I had seen several at Edmundston, near the Quebec border. iDWii Mackisli; ninii) yclli.w, ll( Irn (111 lIlH L' ' ''l I" Ik iri;,li., 1 , ''' '"■''■'" '" ''■"■H JlllK. •„„1 „ X- was com- irs. yriMviii;; orouglilaru. iialc WmS at icard iii tlk M' foui' il;u> ^"^•\'.\/)J.\.\ H\ \\'.\Klif,/,-|<. .■IMlli,,! (I ■'^'xn'c, hliiisl, '\A\I.\ ,\\ \i)i:\ ^/s. IC t VL'> Ij.'.Ii iiiul "'Hit aciu *-■'■ parts \-, }'cl/u\v ; I ash <''"\vn mail, iiie /i,,iii I la'd iiu I'l'MlI of r On II ss the hr, low ■isi ; till Pitted uitli IjI 'fiK'ath the ,"'■"' '^J-^ck ; line fn tl '^^■. placed oi .Uionnd, ■^oinei '.'■" 'I'l-^potted. I le eyes I, -P"ts /•,„ ^idc ■om hill 'f] n S|( Witii h :'■•'■•<» and ste whit )f ni( iind ni.- liiied "/^■■^ near border „f .";■••• ni<"i,!,Mi,,turncd •^"",i,'th 5 I, ISll I'ain or '"'I'll,'- a I inci nvast iiie or les. Ulill 'lair. I .1 , unite or eroTi,,,. rnotsofairee 'y a moist nis i ■^ a i\ir soiitl sllll '70 X iv. ;i in th '"I'f I.ahrad L' sjn-iiig or aiit 50- 'Pcric; y a roil n■ \^ inter • \iidiil :-^ tlirou,t,di the I iL' rest (if "^" ^oiind th )ranches aft; ';''^-'fofthe I'ok IS ■'species breed 'Mti ll J r()\-in '^"" in I'ennsvl "l^^ in the G ^v m.te in tl if~t's. and / a bra \'''^nia, as u-ell 'feat J' ine they la (ire lia\ ■<-■ a .^rott- le .sprin^^r. _^,^,j nor. in th "hrv h '■^ ni ^raine, the ^ nicjiintain 'ive a short, unatt '>-'«-'.o„ f„„„;- j;™' rac- "^ uliert ;n ' y dwell •rders of streams nh ere 'J; IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) A <^ €^ 1.0 I.I II 28 11112.5 ^- IIM |||j|Z2 12.0 1.8 1.25 1.4 1.6 ^ 6" — ► ; ; i Photographic Sciences Corporation 33 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY. 14580 (716) 872-4503 s #^ ^ V '^^ O ^'■ A 228 SINGING lilRDS. Tlie Canadian \Varl)lcr is common during the migrations, fmni the Atlantic tu tiic Mississippi, and tiiough breeding cliictly nurlh uf 43^somc pairs nest in Massachusetts, New York, southern Ontario, and Illinois. It has been taken in Labrador and is commuii in Manitoba. It winters in Central America. YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER. DkNDKOICA DOMINICA. Char. Ahovc, gmyisli ash; forehead and sides of hcrid, black: line fiuiii nostril lu hind neck, yellow; wing-bars white; beneath, velinwisli white; chin and throat rich yellow; sides of breast streaked with li!,ij<. Length 4 '4 to 5 '4 inches. AVjA In an ojjcn grove or the edge of heavy woods, on top of hori/nntil branch or at the forks of a lind), or ' concealed in pendant moss," ::o imjo feet from the ground ; made of grass-weed stems, strips of bark, and nio.-s, lined with vegetable fibre, horse-hair, or feathers. ''-vV-f- 3-5; white, tinged with green, spotted around the larger cm! with brown and lilac; 0.70 X 0.50. These elegant and remarkable birds reside in the \\'cst Indies, and also migrate in considerable numbers into ihc southern parts of the United States, particularly Louisiana ami Oeorgia, whence indeed they only absent themselves in the two inclement months of December and January. 'Ihey are seen in I'Y'bruary in (leorgia, but very rarely venture as far north as Pennsylvania. The song is pretty loud and agreeable, according to Latham and Wilson, resembling somewhat the notes of the Indigo Bird. In the tropical countries they inhabit, this delicate music is continued nearly throughout the year. and particijxUed also by the female, though ])ossessed ot in- ferior \ocal ]H)wers. The l)ird a];)])ears to have many of the habits of the Cree])ing Warbler (.V. raria), running s]MrilIy around the trunks of the pine-trees, on which it alights, am! ascending or descending in the active search of its insect fare. The sagacity displayed by this bird in the constniction ami situation of its nest is very remarkable. This curious fabric i^ YELLOW-TIIROAII-n WAKHLLR. 229 )ataviu. imun in )lack ■• lino ^ yell' 'wi>h ^vilh li'..i>li- [ horizontal ; largf-i- cud the NVost s into ilu' aisiana and vcs in the l"hoy arc iture as far \ agrocablo, mcNvbat tli^' hey inhabit, It the year, Icssecl oi in- many of tlio ining spirally alights, awl lof its In-^ct sii'^iiended to a kind of rope which hangs from tree to tree, uiu.illy depending from branches that bend over rivers or ravines. The nest itself is made of dry bhides of grass, the iilis of leaves, and slcnsil)le to any injury. 'Ihe more securely to defend this jMi ( ious habitation from the attacks of numerous enemies, the opining, or entrance, is neither made on the top nor the side, hilt at the bottom ; nor is the access direct, for after passing the vestibule, it is necessary to go over a kind of jvirlition, and through another aperture, before it descentls into the guarded al)0(le of its eggs and young. This interior lodgment is round and soft, being lined with a kind of lichen, or the silky down ot" plants This species i.s confined chiefly to the Soutli Atlantic States. thouu,h occasionally a few wander to New \'ork. Connectieul. and Massachusetts. Null:. — The .Svcamokk Wakiu.kk {P. lioiiiiiiini all'Hora) (liikrs from the type in being smaller (knuth 4'j tf) 5'< inchc;>) and in having the line over the eyes white, instead of yellow. It (Krurs along the Mississipjji valley and eastward to Ohio, where it is I'jmmon. It has been taken also in Suutli Carolina and Florida. Istnirtioii awl rions fab'l'- >' ■■>ii'SA BLACK-THR().\ri:i) CREEN WARIUJ-.R. DkNUKoK A MRl-NS. Char. Male in spring : above, luiglit olive; line on sides of head lich yellow; wings and tail dusky; wing-bars and outer tail-featliers wiiite; beneatii, white tinged with yellow; throat and chest rich black. Male in autumn, female, and young : similar, but black of throat nii.vcd with yclKv, sometimes obscured. A^ix/. On the liorder of heavy woods, in fork of coniferous tree ^iii' 50 feet from the ground; of twigs, grass, etc., lined with hair and down. Jt^i^X""^. J-4 ; while or creamy white wreathed around larger end uiili spots of brown and lilac; 0.65 X 0.50. This rather rare sjicries arrives from its tro|)ic;il winter- quarters in Pennsylvania towards the dose of .April or In -in- ning of .May. .\bont the 12th of the latter month it is sim in this part of Massachusetts ; but never more than a single piir are seen together. At this season a silent individual ma\ l»i' occasionally obser\'ed, for an hour at a time, careful!)' and u- BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARULER. I head 'icb i^^is wnitc ; Malt- ii> wilhvdl.'NV. IS tri-i.- ■ '■ rcr eiul will' a\ win'''- or lu _:!>• is si'tii m singU' i'->if llv anil it;- tiw'Iy scarchinc; for small caterpillars and wingcil inserts amidst the white blossoms of the shady apple-tree ; and ^o inollen^ive and unsnspicious is the little warbler that ' • pursues without alarm his busy occupation, as the spectator wuhin a few feet of hill) watches at the foot of the tree. Early in October these biitls are seen in small numbers roving restlessly through the fun >t, preparatory to their departure for the South. Though the greater part of the species probably proceed farther north to rear their young, a few spend the summer in the Middle and Northern States; but from their timorous and retiring habits it is not easy to trace out their retreats at the jjeriod of breeding. In the summer of 1830, however, on the 8th of June, I was so fortunate as to find a nest o*" chis s|)ecies in a ])erfectly solitary situation on the IJlue Hills of Milton. The female was now sitting, and about to hatch. The nest was in a low, thick, and stunted Virginia juniper. When I ap- priia( hed near to the nest the female stood motionless on its edui- and peeped down in such a manner that I imagined her t(i lie a young bird. She then darted directly to the earth and ran ; luit when, deceived, I sought her on the ground, she had ver\ expertly disappeared, and I now found the nest to con- tain 4 roundish eggs, white, inclining to flesh-color, variegated, more particularly at the great end, with pale, purplish jjoints (if various sizes, interspersed with other large spots of brown and blackish. The nest was formed of circularly entwined fine strips of the inner bark of the juniper and the tough white fi'irous bark of some other plant, then bedded with soft feath- er> of the Robin, and lined with a few horse-hairs and some >Kn(Kr tops of bent-grass {Ai^ros/is). The male was singing hi> simple chant at the distance of a quarter of a mile from the nest, and was now nearly in the same dark wood of tall oaks and white pines in which I had first heard him a fortnight bc- f'U'. This simple, rather drawlin!,% and sf)mewhat plaintive soni:, uttered at short internals, resembled the syllables 'A' i/e (rr//M-R< >KA lU.ACKllCRNI.K. Char. Male: .ibovc, l)lack,b.ick streaked witli wliitisli ; sides of l;i.id black; crown patch, line over eye, and entire throat and breast rich orani^e or flame color ; belly yellowish white ; sides streaked with M.iik. Im'^u white patches on wings; outer tail-feathers nearly all ui-c Female : similar, but black replaced by grayish brown, and oran::!.' I'V dull yellow; two white wint;-bars. Length 5'4' to 5 I2 inches. A\'sf. Usually in coniferous woods, saddled on horizontal liinb oi 1 iiie or lienihick, :o to (O feet from the ground ; composed of twigs, rooi>, ii.d shreds of bark niixeil with vegetable clown, lined with feathers, hair and down. /vv-f- 4 ; white, often tinged with green, spotted, chiefly around lirL'c; end, with brown and lilac ; 0.70 X 0.50. BLACKbLkMAN WAKULLK. ^35 fore in like tlu' hoU- iVi Iktc av'- s \)\\^ ll^^' L'st in tl"' i(\^o, ana s of tlu^c ) cxpvess> i\ • were l'» 11. W'ilMiii in any ' "''» U) tV.*-- ''•'■- ;pavin;J}- ■'> land winuvs I'he lilackburnian Warbler is one of the rarest ami niu^t bcautiuil species of the ,i,a'mis, which from the ist to the i5lh of May, or sometimes later, pays a transient visit to tile Middle and Northern States, on its way to its remote iKjreal phue of i< lirenient for the i)reedint; season. It is still more rarely seen in the autumn, ai)OUt tlie niontii of Sepleml)er, in its passage to tropical America, where it winters, as may be presiuued, from it> c)(( urrence late in autumn about \'era C"ru/., according to Ml liuliock. It is an exceedingly nimljle insect- hunter, keep- ing itnvards the tops of trees, scarc:ely uttering even an audible chirp, and at this season no song as far as is yet kno\in. (Ml llie Magdalene Islands in the (Juif of St. Lawrence, in (line. Audubon remarks that lie iieard tiie song of tliis beauti- ful \vari)ler, consisting of five or six loud notes, wliicli it uttered fioai the branches of a fir-tree while engaged in (|uest lic( ies in Massachusetts. sides of I'.^-'i'i ll breast iicli la wiiU M.x'^' llv all ^^l''"*^ lul ov;uV- c bv |l limb "I 1 ■">^, lier's, hal' ■""' Lound 1 a?cv 'i'lic very rare achilt of the Ht-mlock Warbler was found by ^\';l>)n in the (Ireat Pine Swamp in Pennsylvania, and ap- I'lMtcd to take iij) its residence in the dark hemiock-trees of that desolate region. It was very lively and active, climl)ing among the liranches and hanging from the twigs like a 'l"it- ni iii>e. it darted after flies to a considerablt> distance, and li.ginning with the lower branches, hunted with regularity up- waids to the summit of the tree, and in this way it proceeded ver\- illustriously to forage through tiie forest till satisfied. At iatervaih it stopped an instant to warble out a few low and swei I notes, jirobably for the recognition or ccMiipany of its nii'.r, which the discoverer, however, did not see. I he nest of this species, according to Audubon, who discov- fTcd ii in the Great Pine Swamp, was made in a hemlock or 234 SINGING BIRDS. spruce tree at a considerable e'evation. Lichens, dry leaves of the hcinluck, and slender twigs formed the exterior j it was then lined with hair or fur and the feathers of the Ruffed (Irouse. lie afterwards met with this sjjecies in Maine and Newfoundland. Nothing is more remarkable in the history of this spetios than the rarity of the adult and the abundance of the youiii,' birds ; these last, which we have long known as the Autunuial A\'arbl''r, appear in gregarious flocks in the larger solitary for- ests of Massachusetts as early as the 20th of July, assembled fron; the neighboring districts probably, in which lhe> have been reared. They remain there usually until the middle of October, at which time they are also seen in the Middle States. They feed on small insects and berries. Late in ihe season, on a fine autumnal morning, troops of them may i»c seen in the fields and lanes, sometimes (les";ending to the ground, and busily employed in turning over the new fallen leaves, or perambulating and searching the chinks of the bark of the trees, or the holes in the posts of the fence, in (juest of lurking moths and spiders ; and while thus eagerly engaged, they are occasionally molested or driven away by the niuro legitimate Creepers or Nuthatches, whose jealousy they thus arouse by their invasion. Earlier in the season they prey u\\ cynips, flies, and more active game, in pursuit of which they may be seen fluttering and darting through the verdant bouuhs of the forest trees. One of these little visitors, which I nh- tained by its flying inadvertently into an open chamber, midh became reconciled to confinement, flew vigorously after house- flies, and fed greedily on grasshoppers and ivy berries (T/'W hciiciacca^ ; at length it became so sociable as to court my acquaintance and eat from my hand. Before I restored it to liberty, its occasional /7ivvV attracted several of its companions to the windows of its prison. At this time the bird is (!■. sti- tute of song, and only utters a plaintive call of recognition. Nuttall followed Wilson and Audubon in considering the young Blackhiirnians a different species, naming it the "Hemlock War- bler." I have given above Nuttall's account of the two. CllKSTNLT-SIDKI) WARIiLKK. 235 ^es of .t was e antl ipecics youni; itumnal ;\ry Ixr- L-y have Middle te in die 1 may be ^ to die e\v fallen the bark n ciuesl of engaiicd, the ni>'re they thus y prey w'a •hich they nt houghs ich I <'h- iibcr. >""" ter house- s {Cls^ii^ covin my ored 'u to nipani'>ii^ (\ is dcsti- nition. the vovuig liilock War- The IJlackburnian is rather common in the Athmtic States and \SL.ii\vard to tlie I'hiius, breeding chieHy nortli ui" 45^, and sp.iringiy in .Massachusetts and Connecticut. It winters Ironi the liahamas ar.d eastern Mexico southward. .Many Canadian observers liave considered tlds Warbk-r rather rare, l)ut the opinion has ijroI)ably arisen from tlie secluded habits ui the bird while in its summer liume. It sliows a ])reference for ilie liiyher branches, and its favorite haunts are amid the deeper iuri.sls where the pine and hemlock flourish. CHESTN U'l'-Sl I )i:i ) WAR15I .1 :R. Dknuroica pi:ns\ lvamca. Chak. Hack black, streaked with ulive of j.;i.iyi-li di yellowish tint ; ciown yellow ; sides of head while, enclu>iiij; a patch of black ; sides of iRck and entire under parts white; sides streaked with chestnut, which txiLiuU (roiu neck to llanks ; wing-bars and blotches on tail white. Length 4 , 1.1 5 '4 inches. .\,,.'. Un the edge of an ojien woodland or the margin of a moist inculuw, in low tree or bush; composed of grass and strips of bark fas- tciad with insect silk, and lir.cd with grass or leaves or hair. /•.;:,,j. 4-5; white or creamy, spotted, clii'tly around the larger end, \v'i:Kh is.soiuetimcs wreathed, with reddish brown and lilac ; 0.68 X 0.50. I his rare and beauiiful Sylvia, which jirobably winters in iiupical America, appears in the Middle and Northern States early in May on its way north to breed ; it is also seen in the !i|iring in Canada and arountl Hudson's l'>ay. A few jtairs re- maui, no doubt, to rear their young in secluded mountainous situations in the Northern States, as on the 2 2d of May, 1 8^,0. a i)air ai)peared to have fixed their summer abode n. It appeared to have been fi^rsaken before its completion, and the eggs I have never seen. In the woods around Farranville, on the Sus(iuehaiin:i, within the range of the Alleghany chain, ' i the month of M ly, 1S30, I saw and heard several males in full song, in the shadv forest trees bv a small stream, and have no doubt itf their breeding in that situation, though I was not fortuiiiiti.' enough to find a nest. This species is now a common summer resident of New Kiiul.iiul and the settled ijortions of Canada, and occurs westward td tlu' Plains, it breeds in numbers as far south as the fortieth paralM. and regularly, tliough sparingly, on the elevated lands snutliuinl to (lc()r«jia, and I have louiul tlie nest in New IJrunswick north ni latitude 47°. America. It winters southward to the Bahamas and Ceiiii.i I!AV-DUEASTEU WARULEU. 1 *♦ — -0/ ;e \)iril ■ Iciivc'-^ ; \\ avitlii\ a a I'.iii .rcss anil \\) on Uu' I not tlu' , simi', I ■opsc in .1 (1 t\vi;j;> "I . anil a HA. stalks "t' same, t'ue lined Willi )ino leaves. )letion, and isi\uehann;i. ,Uh of May, )ng, in tli^' lo doubt of ,t fortunate ONV Kn-land [ward to ilic iicth pavnlli 1. Is soutluvaril lick north I'l land CeiUr.*'. UAV-i5Ri:.\s'ri:n \vARr,i.i:R. Dknduoica eASl.WI a. C'lCAU. Male: back grayish olive, strcakcil witli black; forehead and sides of head black; sides of neck biiffy; throat, breast, and sides chest- nut ; remainder (if under parts Imtlish ; wing-bars and patclies un tail wiiite. I-Vni.ile . .ibove, olive streaked with black ; beneath, bully, sides and breast tiii^nl with dull rufous. Length 5J^ to 6 inclies. .\',../. In an o|iiu woodland, on horiznntal branch of coniferous tree 10 to 20 feet from tiie ground ; of twigs, shreds of bark, grass roots, and iiii>-~, lined with fine roots, moss, or pine-needles. /■•V.-i- 3"^" (nsually 4) ; white, with blue tint, or blulsli green, spotted with reddish brown ; 0.70 X 0.50. This is a still rarer and more transient visitor than the last. It arrives in Pennsylvania from the South some time in April or about the beginnini^ of May, and towards the 12th or 15th of the same month it visits Massa(:husetts, but seldom stays more than a week or ten days, and is very rari'lv seen on its return in the autmnn. Audubon once observed several in Louisiana late in June, so that it probably sometimes breeds in very secluded i)laces without regularly ]iri)eeedinu to the northern regions. It is an active insect-htuiter, and keeps mill h towanls the tops of the highest trees, where it darts about with great activity, and hangs from the twigs with tltittering wiii^s. One of these birds, which was woumled in the wing, soon became reconciled to confinement, and greedily caught and devoured the flies which 1 offered him ; but from the extent of the injury, he did not long survive. In habits and manners, as well as markings, this species greatly resembles the preceding. This Warbler is exceptional in beiiii:: more abimdant in New Kngland in spring than in autumn. Mr. Mcllwraith reports that the same rule obtains in Ontario, but Dr. Wheatoii considered that in Ohio the birds were more numerous during tiie autumn; and these ai)parently conflicting statements sug.gcst an interesting phase in the cpiestion of migration routes. The bird is common as a summer resident in the northern por- tions of Xew England, New York, and .Michigan, though rather rare 238 SINGING IllKDS. in New Hriinswitk. Quebec, and Ontario. 'Die most .soutlicrn ])oint at which it lias oeen fouiiil l)iee(liiioll(.s oi)lained a n-'st in iSrp, The spe cics ranges north to Hudson lia), and south to Central America. BL\CK-POLL \V.\R1}M:R. DkNDKOICA SIKI.VIA. Char. Above, grayish olive tiiicldy streaked witli bl.ici< ; top of head black; cheeks and entire iind(.r parts white; sides streaked with black; wiiit;-bars and tail-patelics white. I.enj'lli 5J2 to 5*4 iiulits, .\', t/. In an evergreen forest on low brain h (sometimes on the groimd 1 : of j;rass, roots, twigs, and lichens; lined with grass covered with wliii., feathers. /..VV-f. 4-5; white, with various tints (usually pale jiink or creamy 1, more or less spotted with reddish brown and lilac, — often dark brown am! olive gray ; 0.75 X 0.55- 'I'his ratluT common and widl-marked species is obsened lo arrive in lVnnsylv;uiia from the South about the 20th of .\])ril, but in Mass;ichusetts hardly before the middle of May ; it re- turns early in Se])tem])er, and a])i)ears to feed wholly on insects. In the Middle States it is confined chiefly to the woods, white, in the summits of the tallest trees, it is seen in bus/ jntrsuil of its favorite i)rey. On its first arrival it keeps usually in the tops of the majiles, darting about amidst the blossoms. .\s the woods become clothed with leaves, it may be found ])retty generally as a summer resident; it. often also seeks the banks of creeks and swam])s, in which situations it probably passes thi' breeding season. In this vicinity the ])lack-])oll is a familiar visitor in the lowest orchard-trees, where it fee ru,„ ,ili„K „,■ , ,,„, ,,,|,,^ - ; -.m,l ..,l,„„„ lik, ,„, \->lu„„,ll;„K|, ac.:„r,li,„. J k" ,' '" ""K^^"i".H,o !"•'<: •^•..lubon foun.l ,1,0 „„ \ 'l' "'"-■ '"""'h „f .i i-l fro,„ .1,0 t-roun.l. i„ ,„, f, 'f'^"' '''^"^"^ ^'Ix^u. '" "'■^ nmi„ „„„ „f a ,ir.,a. ' ., ''"'" '''■""I'. ^I"« "'""■ 'n'^s ami li,i,c.„.s, hu.ru-iv' I ?' , ""' "'' «■•'•"' ^""1 ""'"" "•- »•- a byer o,' be, .:,""' '"•"-■ ''"-' «"»» ; ";,"'-. '"..k.l like l,„r.sc.- a? ;,"""«■ ""l-k-colua..| J- ' • Nonis t„ok a nunihcT of ,1 '^f' ^^'kile,, Island,, and M "'""'^^•"■'1 to the IJ-invn r "'?''•''"" 'i'-md .M,,,an /, ' "-'-•., South a'::;^: ^^^^-'^ -^^' to .^aska, z 1;:;^- PIN'R ^VARlir.KK. De.vdk,,ic.a \-I(;.,k,„. '^"^R. Above, olive ; beneifh v n ;"-''"» migrations to ' ^^t.s ""' '■^"'''"-''' "-Kb ""- "> Pennsylvania at the dot o,- ^■"'■""'""-"'■ L ;^r" ■ ■■'"d soon after is seen ta^n '"'"'' ""' '"■.=-'"""..,? "f ' "nicn It principally 240 SLNGINU BIRDS. resides. Uoth the old and young remain with us till nearly the close of October; stragglers have even been seen in nud-wm- ter in the latitude of 43°. In winter they rove through tlie pine forests and barrens of the Southern States in companies of 20 to 50 or more, alighting at times on the trunks of the trees, and attentively searching them for lurking huvx, but ,nv most frcipiently employed in capturing the small insects whirh infest the opening buils of the pine, around which they ma\ he seen peri)etually hovering, springing, or creeping, with restli^s activity ; in thi^ way they proceed, from time to time, foraging through the forest ; occasionally, also, they alight on tiie ground in quest of worms and gridjs of various kinds, or dirt irregularly after hovering tlies, almost in the manner of the 1 1\- catciiers. In these states they are by far the most numerous uf all the Warblers. In the month of March they already Ix.g.in to show indications for pairing, anil jealous contests endued per[)etually among the males. The principal boily of the spe- cies jirobably remain the year round in the Southern foi\ >is, where I saw them throughout the winter ; great number^, are also bred in the Northern States. In summer their food i- tlu" eggs and larva; of various insects, as well as flies or cyiiips. caterpillars, coleoptera. and ants. In autumn, the young iVi.'- quent the gardens, groves, and orchards, feeding likewise mi berries of various kinds, as on those of the cornel, wild gnin'. and five-leaved ivv ; at this season thcv are verv fat, and tl\ niii forage in fimilies. 'I'hev now only utter a shrill and i)laiiitivc chip. 1 have had a male I'ine Warbler, domesticated f"i 1 sliort time ; he fed gratefullv. from the instant he was car.^ht. u]i()n flies, small earthworms, and minced flesh, and w:i-> so tame and artless as to sit contented on every hand, iivi scarcely shift himself securely from my feet. On offering him drink he walked directly into the vessel, without using the slightest precaution or exhibiting any trace of fear. His /-//.> and manner in all respects were those of the Autumnal Warbler. The song of the Pine Warltler, though agreeable, amid>i the dreary solitude of the boundless forests which he frecjuents. \v^> T'-VE WARIJLLk. k"! little com|«ss ur varietv . '"*' .-"'Ir -si...., or ..„.r,„„H„,,l,,' ""'"-"b' =' -vcrix.n.ti,,,, ■''" v-.;/- v./, V.V v.. v., vt: V ; . :,;;■;■■•■; ™'' -"'^■■™" "^^' tl ^'^ '' 'I'-tancc, is not uni>l pipe ( .■nil! inn unpleasant, as the 1 •h. thon Ins It ^•-l-"-mper,)etual ,,uest of I ^' -shady bou-hs of th s gent COMU nonly heanl at neM. from whom he of ' considerable .h' "s untiring prey, 'j'h \;irie: nner th IS 't' b from l<-'n widely str, istanee fn "om h 'y <-' pine or i-s song is '■'^ niate and precarious j.ursm't. slc'i^- " i-s often dif/i,.„i "'T musician, uhich t to ,1 is- ■male likewise t ^ »"v tone, almost like th, mies, at t ventril()( mie; ''I 'pears fir pious note. iiO '!(.•( IC 'lit th ■^ina\-irgini :'t of the \ '^^T more slender 1, '''fohm^S l->rr.o..- if'i eaterpillar's web "•istles, slemier root-fibres '"n's breast of a curious medlev, but ■«, an.loue or two feathers of "•■^'■mth and shelter for th answerin^r () rV'' "^^'^^^e nests, which 1 .ground, and in all, th to th v.vrf rniii niith th e same as in th It diff e wn-\- n-ras.- e evpeded brood. I 'ereiit times been th le a IK ''': '■' entirely different fro e one now d saw rown general material escribe- :ind tl on '^v <^>f ^fr. Abbot. Th ...nu . and tins, '"^ t'lat given bv Wilson on tl '"'^^e th in the e nest there mentioned l\va trh \''»L. I. I or. ''^"al pendulous fabric „fth le IS nothinjr Th 16 Red-eye(n\-arbl "-' ^SS''- '"n ours were j i.vi ^ 1 ' , "-'e 4, and, advanced mt towards 242 SI.NUING BIRDS. hatching, they were white, with a slight tinge of green, wrv full of small pale brown si)ots, somewhat more numerous towards the larger end. where they ajjjjear connected or aggic- gateil around a jjurplish ground. 'I'he female made some little com})laint, but almost immediately resumed her seat, though 2 of the eggs were taken away; the male made off immediately, and was but seUlom seen near the place. Tlie Pine Warbkr is a common summer resident of New ] j ,-- land, but I seldom saw it in New Brunswick, and can find no e\ i. dence of its occurrence in Nova Scotia. Mr. Neilson tliinlo it uncommon, and only a migrant in the vicinity of Quebec cit\. and Mr. .Mclbvraith makes a similar report for Ontario. It winters in the Southern States. PR.viRii: w.\ri5Li:r. DkNURoK A DISCOLOR. Cir.\R. Above, olive: back witli patcli of red spots; forehead, line over the eves, uing-b.us, and entire under parts rich \ello\v ; bhicic stuak on sitles of liead ; sides spotted with lilacl< ; 3 oiUt.r tail-feathers widi broad patches of white. Length ('2 tn 5 inches. Xrs/. In open woodland or old meadow, on small tree or bush ; ncatlv and compactly made of grass and vegetable fibre lined with haii ur feathers. AvV*' 4-51 white, spotted around larger end with brown; 0.63 X 0.47. 'I'hese birds, rare in the .Atlantic States, ap]')ear to be some- what more common in the solitary barrens of Kentucky imvI the open woods of the Choctaw country. Here they prefer liu open i)lains thinly covered with trees: and without betr;i\ in.' alarm at the visits of a spectator, leisurely jnirsne their se:in h for cater[)illars and small llies, examining among the leave- or hopping among the branches, and at times descending i':- I'v near, and familiarly examining the obser\'er, with a confic of PKAIKIE WAR15L1:K. ^45 en, very jmcriius ime Ih'ilc iciUalcly, Sew I'.nu- u\ no L\i- L- cUy. aiul \vinlcr> in )rcheacl line black stu.ik ifcallK-is wiih bush ; iit.uiy Iwilh lui'ii "V Own ; 0.63 X tht' l>la(:k-poll Warbler rcscniblcd the suppressed syllables V.v// '/^// '/.- |)ioaches with the appearance of accident, 'i'he female was more timid ; yet while I was still engaged in \iewing this little interesting and secluded pair, she, without any i)rccaution or (uuccalment, went directly to the nest in the forks of a low h.irlierry bush near by, and when there, she sat and looked at me some time before she removed. She made, however, no pretences to draw me away from the s])ot, where she was sit- ting on 4 eggs, of which 1 took away 2 ; her a])])roaches to the nest were now more cautious, and she came escorted and en- couraged by the presence of her mate. Two eggs were again siion added, and the young brood, 1 believe, reared without any accident. Tile nest was scarcely distinguishable from that of the Sum- mer \'ellow liird, and cpiite different from the nests described ])v Wilson and Audubon. ]\Iy opportunity f(jr examination, so long continued, seemed to preclude the possibility of error in the investigation ; neither can 1 comjtare the slender note iif this species to any i^'liiniih^ sound, wlii-li would more ni irly api)roach to the song of the l^ine Warbler, 'i'he I'rauie W nliler visits Cambridge about the first or second week in Miy. and according to the obser\'ations of my friend Mr. Codper. is seen probably about the same time in the vii-inity of New \'ork in small numbers anil in pairs, and nlires to winter in the West Indies about the middle of September. 'Ihis species is now considered common in Massachusetts, thnii^h it has not been taken farther northward. It occurs in Oliifi and in Michitran. but not in Ontario. It winters in south- ern Florida and the West Indies. PARULA WAR15LER. BLUE-VEI LOW- BACKED WAKIiLEK. CuMrSOlHLVPIS A.MEKICANA. Char. Male: above, bright ashy l)liie, an olive jiatch on theba^k: throat and breast yellow, a patch of rich brown on the breast ; liLily wiiite ; winj^s with 2 broad white bars; white ])atches on inner weli of outer tail-feathers. Female : similar, but colors duller and the patche- I'li back and breast obscure or absent. Length 4'j to .\-)^ inches. A'ts/. In moist woodland or on border of swamp; usually in a bum h of "beard-moss" (iism;!) hani^ing from the trunk or branch of a tree 10 to 40 feet from the ground, and composed of threads of the moss and line grass or hair comiiactly woven; sometimes linctl witli ])ine-nccdie> nr hair. ■^'AX^- 3~7 (usually 4); white or creamy, thickly sj^otled with several shades of reddish brown ; 0.65 X 0.45. This remarkable species visits the Micldle and Xorthirn States about the ist to the 15th of May, and is seen ai,Min early in October on its way to the West Indies (St. Doniinu'o and I'orto Rico), whither it retires at the approach of winter. A few, according to Catesby, pass the whole year in Sonth ( ir- olina. It is very abtmdant in the summer in tlie woods of Kentucky, is active and restless on its first arrival, and fre- quents the summits of the highest trees, being i)articul,iiiy fond of the small caterpillars and flies of various kinds whi'h are, in the early part of spring, attracted to the open blossoms and tender shof)ts. It also possesses in some degree the creeping and prying habits of the Titmouse, to which genu- it it was referred by Linnneus and Pennant. Entering the south- BLACK-TIIROATKI) BLUE WARIJLKR. on the buck : breast; belly 11 iiuici- well lit the putche- "U les. lily in a buiKh :h of a tree lo moss and Hiic ine-ncc(llc> "r tl with several Id NortluTH seen ajiain ^t. Doniiii;-" [h of winter. South ( ■ n- JC \VOO(l> 111 lal, ami iVo- ])artirtilirly Ikinds whii h •n blossoms ,(lci;rco ilio |ich genu- it the sotith- ern extremity ol" the Inion ])>• the first approach of IS now seen searchin- for its insect food on shrtibs and dI 245 prinLj, it ill 'iiuisi places, by the borders of lak VI inity it is not common ; btit as it -^:d of May in the Milion, it must undoubtedly breed there, I'he notes of this species rcscmbi ints es and streams. In this was singinij; as late as the oody solitude of the l!lue Mills of Warbler in some respects. thouL,^! e those of the Prai rie tones, rising from low to hi'dt. 1 Mifficiently different ; the are rather weak and insii/nificant. Ill Xuttall's (lay this dainty bird was named " rartv-eolored Wai >■ and-hinch Crcei)er." It is now consi.kred'a rather com- mon summer resident in Massaciu.setls and Connecticut, and breeds nortlnvard to the Gull of St. Lawrence. Tiie nests luuc been found also in northern Ohio and .southern Illinois, and in winter the „rds,an,i.e throned, southern Florida and ainon^ the moie ni lit hern West Indies. ',''"■ I'T^'t ■■■V^r"*-"'''^^^''' '■" '">• '""Hi with secluded woods on cool and shaded h.Il-sides bordering a stream, and the .son,^ comes o me trom amid the top branches of ,all trees. - birch and poplu- It 1. an attractive .son.o-, though it has little theme. _ merelv a '•api'l trill of s<.me twenty .sibilant m.tes delivered with a rising' in- tiec tion : hut the tones are sweet, and the effect is pleasin<^ The -son- IS clearly an outburst of joyous emotion. IJLACK-THR()A'ri;i) lil.LK UARIil.KR. DkM )R( )IC.\ C.KRfM'SCKNS. '•"\l<. Male: above, dull blue. b,icl< sometimes streaked with black ■ ■••-; -1 head, thnat, and che>t rich bl.aek ; remainder of under parts •d,:'' ' , "'^.'''"' ,"" ^^"'.'^; ^=>il ^vith lar.ue white blotches. Female: c, .d, V;^''= heneath.dull ,rccni>h ^dl,lw ; white spot on win, i.cn.-ih 3 to 5'2 inches. ■^ .'. In deep woods amid thick underbni>li or ,,,1 hi^rl, I„.i,ich- of a.'l h;'in "'' """"'' """' ""'""'• ''•"'"""'' ^"'''^ '"-^'^f ^'"- 'i"^^l "i^'" '-'^'"s vvithio-V n^l ".'''^''; T'"' ^'■''" "•■ ''"'"^ ""*• "f^-^n.^vhen fVesh, tinqcd "'.^^, marked with large >p.,ts of rcd.li.h h.nwn ; o.;o X 0.50. J>r this uncommon species we know verv little. It appears '^"1} as a transient visitor in the month (dWpril, in the Mid.lle 246 SINGL\(i IMRDS. States, and after staying to k'iji] l(i)r a week or ten days, it proceeds to its northern breeding-place in the wilds of Canada, of which we are wholly ignorant. In November 1 have ob- ser\e(l a few on their return to the South, and according to \ieillot, they winter in St. Domingo and other of the larger West India islands. Near I-'arranville, on the Suscjuehanna, within the range nf the Alleghany Mountains, in the month of May, I saw .iiid heard several pairs of this rare species in the shady hemlixk- trees. The males were uttering their slender, wiry, and \vr\ peculiar notes, while busily engaged in foraging for insc( ts and seemed, by being i)aired, to i)repare for incubaticn. The i'ine Swamp \\'ari)ler (Sv/rA/ s/^Jid'^noso) is now consid- ered only as the young of this species, of which, however, 1 think there yet remains some doubt. The history of this species need no lonc;cr remain a mystery, lur while not abundant, its nesting habits may be studied in any suita- ble locality in New ICngland or northern New \'ork, or alon^ the higher altitudes of the Alleghanies as fir down as (leorgia ; tlionuli the major ])oiti()n of the flocks pass on to the Canadian faunal area before stopping to build. fdid not meet with many exatnples in New IJrunswick. and .Mr. Xeilson thinks it rare near Quel)ec city : but .Mr. Wintle call> it common near Montreal, and tlie Ontario observers also regard it as conuiion. It winters in Florida as well as in the West Indies. KEXTLT KV WARr.I J-.R. (b'.O'IIII.VIMS FORMOSA. Char. Above, olive; crown and sides of head and neck, black ; line from nostril to and around ihc eye yellow; beucatii, yellow, tlie ."iilcs shaded with olive. Length 5.'2 to 5 '4 inches. .Wsf. On the ground, in rather thick woods ; a bulky affair of lonscly laid leaves andgrass, lined witli vegetable down, roots, or hair. Eiixs. 4-6 ; white or creamy, si)otted with lilac and several shades of brown; 0.7J X o 56. This beautiful species, first described by Wilson, frcqui nts the dark forests of the southwestern parts of the Union, beiatr ^KKLLEAX WAKVA.KR. "' ;'^""'' ^^'-''-^ ^'n-J the ,lcso , r''"'"' ^^ '■^^•'"'^■'"•^ "^"■^'-■^'» '^-nucky bc^ ,/":'' ^^ ^'- ^--t .-.vers "•"-^ ^-nitc! States. TIk , | :/^' '^■'''^•'''''^■'- -''>- -nth .^'''^^- It is ,na.Ie of the dry .r n ' 7 ''''"■^' '" ^' ""■' <"• "''''^'^^•">--'-t''-cs,a„l ',;^'"^'^^''-^'-^ '" -^'Tth ( arolina. ^ '' '^ ''''''''^y ^^'^own to tl.c ca.t •• '--il'n/nw J"^;;';^'''''' "'^ ''^^'''^^^ ^^ >'- species is • \ u [■„ 1 -^t'ltes, west lo the i-|,|„, -N't-^'^^ i.s >iivcn as ;^;H I. ..land and soutlK.-n .Mich ■• „ ' ""'■"' "> •^•"■thern '""' (^^•"ti-al America •' ff ; ""'^•"'- ''' winter. WVs, r,, i- vallev. ami has , ""•'^ ahundant alo,,-- ,|' V, . "'''^■■" . "'HI lias ijeeii seen Iinf ,•,,• 1 -^ ""- •^''■'^s ssinni ci::Rrj,r:A\ ^^•ARm.ER niA-r: uariuj: I)i ■kv I, ■VI >li( )ICA C.KK Ab. i-i.i:,\. U;i!l Siclo •i;-./. 1, line till- i)Ut ^'leaked "vc, h,i„|,t lers 'I'gli the azure blue; I )ac eves : Win ',""e'- pair spotted with ' «ith dusky blue. J ,us with t •^t'cakcd with black o white I "lute ; beneath, wl )a rs line nf dl tail- open wo(K])and on Ii eni,'th ■I ori/ontal I * '" 5 i'lche 'I'e; breast and Jnu-li «" JO to 50 feet fl, ||n the 248 SINGING IJIRDS. ground; of grass and liclicns fa.>lcnc(l with insect silU, lined witli fine A;fV.r. 4 ; wliile witli ^lecn or Ijltie tint, ^putted cliictly around ihe larger entl wilii reddish brown ami iihic ; 0.70 X 0'53' This Very ilclicalcly colored si)ecies is nnionL; the nire>t siuiinicr residents of the Atlantic States, and does not i)rol)al)ly migrate or rather stray farther north than the State of New York. In the Southwestern Slates, particularly 'I'ennessee and ^^'est Florida, it is one of the most abundant species; it isalxi found in the western wilderness beyontl the Mississip|)i. it is only in the summer that it ventures into the Middle States, from which it retires almost before the first chills of autumn, nr by the middle of Atigust. It freipients the borders of stream^ and marshes, antl i)ossesses many of the habits of the l"l}- catchers, warbling also at times in a lively manner, and though its song be short, it is at the same time sweet and mellow. The ])riiicipal range of this daintily dressed songster is throuL;h the soutliwestern division o[ this ICastern Province, between the valley of the Mississippi and tiie Alleulianian hills, north to (^hio (wliere it is abundant), southern Ontario, Indiana, and Illinois. It occasionallv wanders castwanl to central New York, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. lined with tnu> -lly arouiul llie ig the rarest not probably ^late of Xfw •niK-ssce ainl ics; it isalst) ■.sii)])!. It i^ liddlc States, :)f autumn, (ir :s of streams of the M\- nanner, and .e .sweet and t'^»'in!s the mi,I,n,. nf t m ^ ^'^'' •"■'•'vin- i,i ,..,.,, , '"'" ^"■" I" tl,e first ,rcek in 7, , , "''■'""".«. l«> :,ron° '" "'^' '"""II. of March ,r 'T'"^''' ^''■- """«k. /" '".;,^" fi;-« Of uvse nj;;;?'^-"' ' "™"' "-'-^ specie,, .,„;,;;;:^ ,: -"f l;« »P>=cies,_pa«e, hf""— 'I''-' ""•^'^'""cm. and ;; > ■■ -«„lse brier,, bra„U , r, ™^ "'■" *""' ■"'^"'>' "" " "■^ «-" ... lo>v a„U .ater, ,,:;,::; "«:«-'- »l.™b,.ery >^ nanibitious to be seen, 250 SINGING lilRDS. ho seldom ascends above the tops of the underwood, where ho (hvells, busily employed in collecting the insects on which lir feeils. After these, like the Wren, he darts into the deepest thicket, and threads liis devious way through every opening ; he searches around the stems, examines beneath the leaves, and raising himself on his peculiarly i)ale and slender legs, peeps into each crevice in order to seize by surprise his tiny lurking prey. While thus engaged, his affection to his neigii- boring mate is not forgotten, and with a simplicity, agreeable and characteristic, he twitters forth at short intervals his ''wJutitctce 'u'Jiitifctcv 'li'liitih'lcc, but his more common song is ^whittitshi'c 'u'hitiitslicc, or ''wctit>:ln'c locHfshir locc ; and sonic- times I have heanl his note like, ^wetHshcc 7vctitshci\ ''wil'xu wi\ On this last syllable a plaintive sinking of the voice nii- ders the lively, earnest ditty of the active minstrel peculiarly agreeable. Copying apparently from the Cardinal J>ird, ihe song was, in one instance, which came to my notice, 'vif'ixu ^•('it'iyu ^vifiyii. The whole is likewise often varied and lowered into a slender whisper, or tender revery of vocal instiiK t. Sometimes he calls out, tcchhoo, /rris/too, and scicuiiiii iiit scwaiiii'iiit srK'aia/";■« I'oing „„„,;,_ ^,,J ' >" ...g no„. „„,, „,„„^ , f "" the arriva of tb-.f ,> • . "^ '""'"p.iratiw v,, , ■/ *',-'■ -^^ --ly .->» tile clue of ,:,"''■ ,"■'•"'' "•^"■"^ "'-" o "'"■'-■'•■■ ° "''"''^^ l'--"-ty iiou- forage i„ spLrinicns taken in ir'i •,' '^^ -^^r. Frank Af r-i, '''.(''•. HOURMXo A\ARmj.:R. ,- Gfothlvpis r.,f,r,.u.,,,,,,n, -; ;• b. open wo„. il n()U>, Marylaivl »re agrrc- ng of ilic iblo noU', for some t tlu- gar- ;il, he was re i);ni of ,vhich di.'- it joinc'l cast; the Icrs of Uk' indiviilnal c\v \'i)rk. lied in ibc howiNcr, vet to be lanion^' the Ills I'avuiiw lies ; on the It and NfW k'tween the of cnviioiv meiit are obtainable, — tlie MourniiiLi \Vail)ltr is not at all rare, aixl in llie West — in Minnesota, iJakota ancl M.initoha — it is (1( ( iiledly abundant. lividuiUly it lias no special likini; lor llie Maritime I'roviiui's n.)r lor any portion of Canada e.i.st ol bake Wimiipe^j, lor Canadian oli.scr\er.s in niiuial report il r.ne or uiuonnnon. Net one of llif feu ucsts liiat liave betii distovereil was secured by Mr. Kells, lu'ar l.istowel, in Ontario. This iKst was in a cedar sw.nnp and jilacud on tliu liori/onlal branch of a small tree (|uito close to the j;round. Tlie examples I saw in New lirunswick were in small lioeks, and were a very busy and very merry eomp.my, - busy in srarehiuL; fiir their food, niovinj; in most sprightly and vivacious niaimer, and makini,^ merry witii sweet voices. 'I'lu' sont; coi'>;sls of a few simple notes. tIiou.L;li sometimes, when hovering while on the wing, it is more elaborate. coNNi:("'i'i('i"r \v.\ii asliv, darkot on breast ,ini! iiown; white rin;; aicmnil liic eyes; clic>t ami belly yellow, siiks slii'l' (1 with (jlive. Len.nih 5/^ to 6 inches. .\ .'. Midden on a tnft uf weeds, or .sunk in nii)S.-,y nionnd, in >wanipy w !' ; composed of tlricd i;rass. /■.„^'.-. 4- ?; creamy, spotted, chiefly around llic iari^er end, with black, biowii, and lilac; 0.75 -|- 0.55. This rare species, cUscovcred by \\'ils()n in Conncrticut and aftcrwanls in the ncij^diborhood of i'hiladcli)hia. appears to frcijiicnt low thickets, and is excec(bn,L,ly active in ])ursnit of its prey, scarcely rcniaininj.f a rnonicnt in the same jilact-. Wilson afterwards shot two specimens of a bird whicli in cvitv jurticular agreed with the above, except in liaving thi' throat dull buff instead of ])alc ash. These were both females, as he supposed, of the present species. The history of this bird is still interestinjxly obscure, so much has \ft lobe learned; but gleaning from records made by nliser- vers in various parts of the country, I am enabled to add a little to Nut tail's account. 254 SINGING BIRDS. The bird lias been taken tlirouLCliout the greater part of tlii.- Kaslern I'rovince ; but its distrihutiun appears, from the evid-iue so tar gathered, to be soniewiiat peculiar. It winters in Muxiro and southward, and in tlie sj)ring migrates wholly along the -Missis sippi valley, where it is more or less abundant north to .Manitoli.i. though it is rarely seen at that season to the eastward of Illinois. It breeds in Minnesota, Dakota, and .Manitoba, and in the an tinnn part of the flocks go south along the Mississij)i)i. while otiu is pass eastward along the shores of the Great Lakes, and thence to Massachusetts, the most nortiiern limit of the bird's range (jii the Atlantic side, where it is common durmg the first halt' of September, after which the flocks continue on a gradual movenu nt sou til ward. Dr. Wheaton considered the sjiecie.; very rare in Ohio, and it was thought to be rare in Ontario until 18S4. when niv friend Wil- liai'i .Saunders found it common in the vicinity of London. 'Jlic only nest yet taken was discovered by another friend and fellow- worker Ernest Thompson. Il was found near Carberry, .Manitolia. in 18S3, sunk amid a mossy mound in a tamarack swamp, — a dark, gray waste.' In the West, during the spring migrations, these birds are c.xcnd- ingly active and very shy, moving inces.santly among the brandies in (piest of insects, and when a])proached darting into the thitki.st covers; but those I saw on the Fresh Pond marsh at Cambridge fed chietlv on the ground, amoni: the leaves, and when distuilicil tl pos ew uen dl erally but a short distance to a low branch, and sat as com- sedlv as a Tl nnisi Thompson describes the song as similar to the Golden-crow IH'll Thrush, and says it may be suggested by the syllables bcecJiei- Ih-idiiy-lhwhey-bcccJicr-bcecJicr-lh'i'iht'r. sung at the same pitch throuiiliout. rt of t^>'-- cvid'.'iicc n Mcxiro ic Missis- ManitolM. )i Illinois. n tlic an hilo otluis thence to rant^e on ivst lialf of movenieiit )liio. and it friend Wil- lulon. 'I'li'^- and felUnv- ,-, Manit(ili:\. wanip, — ''^ ■; arc CXCeed- he branelKS tlie thi^.l^e^l I Canibiid'j:^^' len distvulicd dsat as enm- |den-cro\\iH'd )les l>i-ei!ii>'- same liitcli WORM-EATING \VAR15LER. Hklmii'IIkkls vi;k.miv()rls. CiiAU. Above, olive; iiead \n\\{, with four >trii)cs of black ; beneath, lii;:l, paler on belly. I.eiii;th 5'2 to 5*4 inches. .\. 7. On the t;round, often covered by a bush, or beside a fallen log; of U.ives, moss, and grass, hned with moss, line grass, or hair. /■\,;-.. 3-6 (usually 5) ; variable in shape and coli>r-, white, sometimes wiiii luitf or i)ink lint, marked with tine spots of reddish brown and lil.ic, o,;o X 0.55. These birds arrive in Pennsylvania al)ont the midiUe of May. .mil migrate to the South towards the (■K)se of Septem- ber; I hey were seen feeding their young in tliat State about ihc J5th of June by Wilson, so that some ])airs stay and breed there. They are very aetive and indefatigable insertdiunters, ami have the note and many of the manners of the Marsh 'ritmoiise or Chiekadee. About the 4th of October I have seen a jiair of these birds roving through the branches of trees witlt restless agility, hanging on the twigs and examining the tnndt attracted by the novelty of its notes, four or five in nunilier, relocated at intervals of five or six minutes ajiart. These nnte^ were loud, clear, and more like a whistle than a song. They resembled the sound of some extraordinary ventrihxiuist in -ndi a degree that I su])posed the bird much farther off than i'. really was ; for after some trouble caused by these fictitiiui< notes, T observed it near me. and soon shot it." These birii- apjienr to have a predilection for swampy, muddy places, u-ii- ally more or less covered with water. They feed on cohop terous insects and the larvne which infest the ponddily. 'Iluv usually keep in low bushes, and retire southward at the close of summer. They breed, it appears, in South Carolina. owed by three already cxhibi- the distribution Hy south of laii- luit of its r;inj;e. Lake Erie, and )vinees. he dead leaves, bed by Nuttall III the uest uiiiil ad liferent abcnit h reddish brown; ■ parts wiiitc wiili chcs iqiland ; in caiic- Iky and inartistic o 60. near the banks H : ''I was first five in nuinl>i'r, These noti> a sonji. 1 !uy iloquist in sndi her off than i; these fietitiiuis " These Mni- (ly places. 'imi- ;ed on roKo]! )nd-lily. 'i'luv ird at the <'lose Carolina. PROTIIONOTAKV U.VUULEK. I'ntil recently, „„,„, --""PS 10 whici, i, „„„,;,, P ';.''-;» ll'c ranker ,™„-,|, otZ v.i->n, lis s„„ - . J- '" Ik confined clunnt ll.,. 1,,, 1 '"•'■ "''"^' " i-"an tlz^,:::? ,'"""■ '■•■■■■'- '-■ - '■;;;'* -l;-» ^;"or ,l,e ,,„„,„, ,„, J :^ ..'-Hlcr <,„ali,,. „,,. „„ „ '^^^^- "!<-■ distribution of the ■ :'>,";;'-"ined, but it proS;^^;:;; ""^ y^;l f^cen verv satisfac- '^'.' -states, and alon. the ] li' ; ■- "^ ='" '''^' ''^""'h A,la„ ic 1 i'Kliana. - Ali-sissipp, valley north to Jlli , tor am aiK PROTHOXOTARV „-.u..,,,K. P'«>T„N„T,,„IA (Tre,:,i, '' HAR. Head nc I -\f'-««s,p|,i near x„, Or,,,.,, J "~- ' "' ™-""Py foivsis 0 rV""" """''■>■ """"K i" » r t V' "■■ '"^"^''^ '■■"'"-'"■* ;^'"' -I'^lll lan.I shell, over, , , '■"■''''■ '■""Pil^lrs, la,ve ">^ -- scarcely . ese ri "I "' ""' ""■" """'"« .' 'V«'c t' "■" ''^ ■»-->'i-e»e,„:ri-,;;:"""r "■'''■'■'■■ "■ 258 SINGING BIRDS. Dr. Ikichman, these birJiS breed in South Carolina, as he saw a pair and their young near Charleston. This species is common in the Gulf States, and ranches alone; tlie Mississippi valley, being peculiarly abundant in southuni Illinois and southwestern Indiana, but near the Atlantic is rarely sltii north of Georgia. A few stragglers have been encountered in New England, while one has been taken at St. Stephen. N\\v Brunswick, by Mr. George A. Boardman, and another near Haiiiil ton, Ontario, by H. C. Mcllwraith. It is said to be more deliberate and thnishlike in its movements than are its sprightly congeners, the Dcmiroicic. The song nm^t frequently heard is described as a simple but pleasing whistle, liki- that of the solitary Sandpiper, though when the singer is near at hand, almost startling in its intensity. .Mr. Brewster menticms hearing another song delivered on the wing, and intended lor ihu ear of the mate alone. It is generally heard only after incubation has commenced, and is low, but very sweet, and resembles suiui;- what the song of a Canary, delivered in an undertone. BLUE-WING KD \\'ARr.LER. Helminthophii-a riNus. Char. Above, bright olive : wings and tail dull blue; wings with tw^ white bars ; tail with several white blotches; black line through the cm : crown and under parts yellow. Length about 5 inches. A\'st. In a tuft of grass amid thicket of underbrush or along marj'n : woods; bulky, and loosely made of dried leaves and vegetable fibre, lim : with fine grass. ^SS^- 4-5; white, faintly speckled with brown ; o/io X 0.50. About the beginning of May this species enters Pcnnsylvani; from the South, and frecpients thickets and shrubberies in (hk.-: of the usual insect food of its tribe. At the ai)])roach of win- ter, very different from the Pine Warbler, with which it h- somctimes been confoimded, it retires to pass the winter in tropical America, having been seen around Vera Cruz ir. autumn by Mr. Bullock. On its arrival it frequents garden-, orchards, and willow trees, gleaning among the blossoms, l'-:: at length withdraws into the silent woods remote, from th; i'.i.ri;-\viN(;i:i) wariu.kr. 259 5 he saw a :s alon.i; tin- rarely scm ounlerccl in -phen. New- near Haniil s movements le sunt:; nmsl whistle, like rcr is near ;U iter mentions ended ior \\k ler ineubatii'U ^embles some- loue. liannts of men, tcj pass the period of breeding and rearing its \ining in more security. The ajjparent distribiitinii of this species, judged by the records 111 recent observations, is soniewliat peculiar. It seems to i)e .ihundant in the soutinvestern portion of this ICastern i'rovince, and rarelv ranges east of the Allegiianian hills until nortii of 40^, when it >pieads off to the shores of the Atlantic, thougli seldom going i)f\i)nd latitude 42°. A few examples only have been taken in Massachusetts, and though common in Ohio it has not been seen ill Ontario. Farther west it is found north to the southern por- tions of Michigan, Wisconsin, and .Minnesota. It winters .south to ia>tL-rn Mexico and Guatemala. The nests that have been discovered in recent years are not lasliioned like tliat described by Wilson, for instead of being lannel-shaped, they have the ordinarv cup-like form. Opinions differ regarding the song, but I am inclined to believe tliat it is a rapid trill of strong, sweet tones, limited m compass and L-xnuted with little art, — a merry wiiistle rather than an artistic iiK'liifly. wings witli tw^ [through ihL^"- along martin ■ ctable fibre, la>^^ iX 0.50. k Pennsylvaiv;-^ Iberies in qtK-' jjiroach of w"> [h which it ^i-- the winter 1' Vera Cm/ i" iuents garden-. blossom-. 1 "- Lote, from thi 26o SINGINC niRDS. Goi-i)r:\-wix(;i:i) wakp.lkr. HkI.MIMHOPHIU CHKYSOI'IEKA. CirAR. Above, bluish gray; crown yellow; side of head ycllo\vi>li white, with jjroad patch of black from bill through eyes ; two \ving-l)Mi~, yellow ; blotches on tail white ; beneath, white tinged with yellow ; thru, it black; sides tinged with gray. Length about 5 inches. jVi's/. Amid a tuft of long grass, in moist meadow or damp margin i)f woods; constructed of shreds of bark, roots, etc . lined with fine grass. J\i,X^\ 4-6; white spotted with brown and lilac; 0.65 X 0.50. This scjin.e species ai)i)ears only a few days in Pennsylvania about the last of Ai)ril or beginning of May. It darts actively through the leafy branches, and like the 'I'itniousc examines the stems for insects, and often walks with the head downwards; its notes and actions are also a good deal similar, in common with the Worm-eating Warbler. I have never yet seen ii in Massachusetts, and if it really does proceed north to breed, it must follow a western route. The riolden-wing still rcmaitis a somewhat '•scarce" bird, but it occurs rcgiilafly in Cotinccticut and southern Massachusetts, aiul in some few localities is often quite numerous. Its general breediii:; area lies nortli of latitude 40°. thnugli nests have been found anion;: the hills of (ieorgia and North Carolina. To the westward it bri c(I> in Ohio, southern Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, and in tlu vicinity of bondon, Ontario, where Saunders reports it quite coiir luon. It winters south to Central America. head ycllo\vi>li i ; two \vinfi-l);ii>, til yellow ; throat r damp inargin nf with fine grass. , X 0.50. n Pennsylvania t darts actively ,c examines \]\v 1(1 downwards; lar, in common r yet seen ii in )rth to breed, it ircc" bird, but it issacliusctts. ami c;eneral brcci'iiiu ?cn found anion;' cstward it breeds csota, and in tin rts it quite coivi- 261 I0|(| '}' Audul 'le.srnhed tli ore was heard of tl ■ >on and ATi,t(,,„ '■;^.ntercs(i„. ,,;,,, ^,, c "est and until t,s '-\f^'- s. VV. U-il nial tak in I ;i"d fcnial son, ei,'-.us IV ■soniew «3 »'i tile littK oin e.vaiiinl en ""t'l 1886, wh e secured bv D len l)ct\v I^'^'s eoIJeetedin (; "I'lsiana, and eii a third r. iiaeh con t.s ■y L'O'-.i^ia, man were tl ->3 and iSr.5. -j-) 10 Olllvsi le ■ \\\U- oi ] I'lnouneed by Mr. C "^^ ^-^ 'n- Charle; s- ^l^^i^'^l^^ iniiary, 1SS7. A -;nno„„,^d by Dr. Merr fourth. talv- 'eoru-e X j ■^ ''^- (ialbraiih a wren c o in '■•-'I'^rted. S common \n the S .'" f-'Iorida in Afard le '•ini, and s "cen di 8S7, "LIS Were to a tiK Ppfoael VVl IS an active '■''•'^",ir,t,'-csti\e of ' quarrelsome bird aruia. It f,- >^'"searchin,:rf,,,f,,^,, P'-tlercneeforthel ,«l"ents both shr.d.I Ks m, inner atter and for ; ■yand hi-h (, '■'it'ier thick c'es, but si r'owth. low; TENxr:s ^KK \V.\ H i^I5Jj:r '■■'-Mivjnoj. "Ill- wit, A I "rt.A /-M, 1 ^lav. ^ovc, olive, I,n„) <^'i.i<]\: 'taildiiskv; I r. ^"Sth 4,'< f itcst '■ '"-'iieath, white, VC'!. '''■ ^^'1 a !q\v 1 o .1 "11 nim| with f; had in,;,' to le (ihr, )iish '' 'i'lcd with 1 '4 inches '"" tint of veil as hy "n head sides ti n^C( in lair. >P^i^ "oodland llKUk yrass, nios and ^mmmmm 262 SINGING BIRDS. /i^i,%'s. 0-0 (])ri)bably 4 or 5) ; white, wreathed aiomul larger end with brown and purplish spots: 0.65 X 0.50 (?). This nirc and plain species was iliscovcred by Wilson on the btnks of Cnniberland River, in the State of Tennessee. It was hnnting with great agility among the opening leaves in spring, and like the rest of the section to which it appertains, possesses a good deal of the habits of the Titmouse. Its noti^ were few and weak, and its food, as nsiial, smooth caterpillais and winged insects. It is still so rare that Audubon never saw more than three individuals, — two in Louisiana, and one at Key West in East Florida, all of which were males. Ornithologists of the present day do not consider this Warhkr quite so rare as did Xuttall and In's contemporaries, though it is somewhat local in its distribution, and is only met with occasionally at many places within its range. In the l-^astern States it is rather rare, excepting on the northern border of New York and New lin^- land, where it breeds; but it is more numerous in the .Mississippi valley, and Dr. Coues found it migrating in abundance along the Red River, through Minnesota and Dakota, while Thompson reports it as "a common suminer resident " in parts of Manitohi. Dr. Wheaton considered it rare in Ohio. l)ut Saunders reports it "common at times'' in the southern ])eninsula of Ontario, while Mcllwraith has seen it but twice near Hamilton. It is rare in tlie Ottawa valley and near the city of Quebec, while common near Montreal. Comeau says it breeds in numbers near Point de Monts, on the north shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and Ma( mm reports it common around Lake Misstissini. It is not uncommon in some few localities in New Lrunswick, where it remains all s:;ni- mcr. Mr. Walter Fa.xon reports seeing an example on (iraylock and another on the White Mountains. Very few nests have been discovered, and one of these was taken near Springfield. Mass. It is an active bird and very wary, always on the alert, — dartini; rapidly from branch to branch. The song is a sweet-toned, clieery whistle, — somewhat similar to that of the Nashville. NAsri\'rr,LE warhlkr. 20: this Warbler ., though it is :i occasionally es it is rather lul New Kn;,'- c Mississiiipi ncc alon,L; the Ic Tliompson of Maiiito!):i. Icrs reports it Ontario, while : is rare in the common near car Point de .', and Maeium : uncommon in lains all suni- e on Gravlock ;.>sts have l)ecn eld, Mass. lert, — dartiiii; :-toned, cheery 3 I'lelics. I''-''^'- '"Uhe belly jsij,.. '.- •'"■"ii'ul the eves ; I of i ■^'■"'. Amid a t '"^''.ulccl with eav lift of weed live. 1 '(■■IHMth. .fliyth 4'j 1. •« and vegetable til "* "1 I)asture j-5 (ii.suall\- 4); „.| '"-■. lined wit, or (I 'pen woodlanc •■t'ldish brown and 1 liit ilac Tl o.6o X •-' "■' crca lis rare s,)ccics was ,1 'SO. ' «''iss, pinenecdic "'}■- '"arked with' jj or li coiiij„)sed ail "<-' SJX.ts of Naslniile in 'I ^■nnessee ; it a! i^ovcrcl by \X\Uon in til "; ^"nnner, and occasionall ^" ^'^ists in the nei^hb, <-' vicinity of s;ich ';;^- and even the neighbo'rh V^ocv^ds as far north ILSCttS noise Its d which iscovercr was fi '^^t>'I of Salem \n t) 'faring States '■'^ I'hil.idel- lis State [.\f, '''■^' t»-'gs, or the strik it made, reseml)! '■^\ attracted to it I is- n- tht tiiii ins: ics in t<)geth( "f/'ie hreakins of's.nall t'lncc of th •succession, and Jo.id ''■ <•*" pcl)l,!cs, for doubt, by the smart Tty or forty yards. \ enough to be heard •'''^ or sc\c n at th chat of \ iropc. snapping of the bill ^""'lar .sound, pro.h.ccd e (lis- • w hich h •"""^"say.s, the male, whil, "'brs a (qw lo t'"cc, in fact. (1 '' ''^ Ki'ncii by the St •-'fives its na no one- cics h :is all th ■--, -Mile standing in a stni and -^erly repeated, creaking note erect 'c active habits of P'rticularly belongs. And the f; 'iii'y to which it in firt uio rare, as he s ""^"f April, toward au' them in "'^•>;^ ^ays that these bird 'lie. Ati- postiire, li.s s|)e- niore Tl s are not "" them in M I )\-a Scot la. aine and the I'n exas, nn their wa\- ;;^'vinces of .\\.^. j Un^^■ '"•I^^"^^>^r,and| "••rence „f a stramri ''■"'i-^\vi(k and in C, ■f'vcr rare the Xash .%''cr in the fur ^'■- KichanLson <'oiintries. t''>ininon tillr I'r nibridrre, jt villc may have I 'Umnicr r 's "ot a rare bird I 'ecu wl M mitnl , and i)lant stems, lined with hair. /:":,%■•.?, 4-6; white or creamy, marked, chiefly around the larger eml, with spots of reddish brown and purplish slate ; 0.65 X 0.50. This species, first discovered, early in May, on the banks of the Missouri by my friend Mr. T. Say, appeared to l)e on its passage f:irther north. It is not uncommon in winter in the orange-groves of West Florida, where it proceeds to pass ihc season, arotind St. Augustine ; and its note is described :i> ;i mere chirp and faint squeak, scarcely louder than tliat nt".! mouse. .According to .\udubon, these birds breed in the eastern piiit of Maine and in New IJrunswick and Nova Srotia. In the month of May we saw them abundant in the forests of tin.' Oregon, where no doubt they breed. The song is weak, soph- what resembling that of most of the Sylvicolas. Audubon must have gathered in all the New Brunswick Oriinuv Crowns, for none have been seen there since his visit, nor ( ni 1 learn of any having been observed clsewdiere in eastern Caiid.i. excepting the few discovered by Mcllwraith and Saundeis in KIRTLANI) S WAkliLKU. 265 sccUu\e'l — UlC 111 a a i-ci>"- nort triUi'l iUle ftion .-ith conceal..! ^, pale ycU"'.^ ; Length A'A '" of grass, mo->. the larger end, 50. the banks of to be on ii> Kvinlcr in ili^' (Is to pass the [escribed a^ a um that "I' ■' lo eastern 1 "t lotia. In ^^■■' forests of tlv L weak, s.'''v- Inswick Or iv.'t^ ■isU, nor cm 1 Listern Car.uli. V\ SauncU'!- i" soiitlicrn Ontario, aiul one taken by 1-rncst \). Winllc near Mdii- Heal in l.S(jo. Accidental .straj;,y;lers have i)een taken in New i;n;;Iaiul. i)ul it is (hietly a Western iiird, l)ree(iin,i; in tlie iar Nortli. tliough it winters ill llie Southern and Gull States. KIRTLAND'S WARHLER. Dendroica kiriiandi. CiiAU. Above, slate blue, tlie featlicrs nfliuad and back streaked with l)lack ; line aiM)ss forehead and throuj^h the eye.-, bl.uk; beiieatli, yellow, |inM>t anil sides spotted with black ; two white wing-bars ; whit'' blulchcs (HI i.iil. Length 5J4 to 6 inches. .\r../and /\i^xs. Unknown. Only a few specimens of this bird, discovered bv Dr. Kirtland, near Cleveland, in l.S5r,havc as yet been seen, and these few were cai)tured in Ohio, Michij:;an, Wisconsin, and Missouri durini,^ the sprint^ mii;Tations. .Mr. Charles 15. Cory secured one in the I'.aha- nias in winter. The habits of tlie bird are unknown, but Mr. Cluibl), who shot a male and female near Cleveland in iS.So, savs : •• 1 am inclined to think they are rather terrestrial in tiieir habits, fniiuenting bushy fields near woods." N'lrn-. — The Cauhona ri-.i) W.\Kr.!.i:i{ (Pt-iidroica (ar/'oitafi^). mentioned by Nuttall on the autliority of Audulion, who killeil two s]) ■( iiiiens in Kentucky, has been placed on the " Ilyjiotlietical I.iM " by the A. O. I'. Committee, as has also the r.i.ii-: MouNlAlN- \V\i;r,Li:R {Douiroica vtontana) and tiie Smai i,-iii:ai)i,I) Wak- i;i I i; {Sylvania iiiicfihrp/id/d), mentioned 1)\- Wilson and Audu- biMi. Xo specimens of eitiier have been t.ikeii in recent years. On this same list has been placed the Cin< innah Wakiu.f.k (7/<7- miiithophila citiciunaticnsis), which is jirobably a hybrid of IT. piiiiis and G.foniiosa; also La\vki;\ui) and r>KKWSTKK"s Waiuu.kk (//. le!iC(>hroiiilii(i/is)A)o\.\\ suppo.sed to l.'j liybrids of H.pinus and //. c/nyso/'frra. Mr. V. ^L Chapman statis that he saw a typical Uitcobronchialis in New Jersey in May, iS^o. Tmw \si:\d"s Wakhm-.k {Deiuhoica to\,'nscndii). described by •Nutl.dl and named in honor of its discoverer, is a rare bird of the I'ar West, and its claim to mention liere rests on the accidental occurrence of one example near I'hiladeii)hia in 1868. HOLSF, WREN. WOOD \VKi:x. Tk(k;i.()1)\ IKS .\i:i)()\. Char. Above, reddish l)r(p\vn (sonietimcs witli daik bars), darkt i "n the head; Ijclow, brownish wliitc, iiiarl'• 7-'); white tinted with pink, densely marked with retlilish l)rown ; 0.65 X 0.50. This lively, cheerful, capricious, ami well-known little min- strel is only a siuiimer resident in tlie United States. lt> northern migrations extend to Labrador, but it resides ;uid rears its yotmg ]irincipally in the Middle States. My fririid Mr. Say also observed this species near Penibino, beyond the sources of the Mississi])pi, in the Western wilderness of the 49th degree of latitude. It is likewise said to be an inhabitant of Surinam, within the tropics, where its delightful melody \n^ gained it the nickname of the Nightingale. This region, or the intermediate coimtry of Mexico, is probably the winter quarters of our domestic favorite. In Louisiana it is unknnwii even as a transient visitor, migrating api)arently to the east nt tree, etc. ; m k )\vn little inin- 'd States. Its it resides ;in(l ;s. My friend lo, beyond the lerness of iIk' ) an inhabitant fill melod\ has I'his region, or bly the wiiittr it is iinkiviwn • to the e;i-t < '' near the house of f)r(: IS pi 'P''',i,Mti()n. H ^•^;^;>res u-hirh pr,sM I'cinote '"'■"^''- "".ler a shed u' or the skull of -positi an ox StlK P^^'-'-orated ui,h a ho loii '"'' '"n the ixH-i, vcniriice and n th, h IX) 'n, an inst ■^ ''^ the House \\ protection of h '^ "P'>n a |),,it e his nest 'le for e\-en •Tid .\udnl 11- )on '■^■n 'n thus cl, "man so, 'leev ■<-' of a mow '"'•■^ once occurred wh '^■'y th.it own (■ 'iiniiiir t :irn,i ir musing vo nurs\ini;s, ; into aniic ts of other -net cradle, who have , for a n.w e male ili^U icr man-^iitu 1(1 this i''.ii- ilcss common encd to lose — an ani- xy after Uiis introi\\uing ,^e weh-ome ogroom ii>'\\' reared their ,le Wren who ing her tir-t ,e edge of the jr, conliii''''^''^ uttered hi^ iscs, he no^s n., and nuor but less I'ith- IfT danije! •,he forsook the nest after entering, and never laid in it. Hut still liu happy warbler continued his uninterrupted lay, apparently in solitude. The song of our familiar Wren is loud, sprightly, and tremu- lous, uttered with jjeculiar aniniation, and Mpidly repeated; at tiist the voice seems ventriloquial and distant, and then bursts tuiih by efforts into a mellow and echoing warble. 'J he trill- iii-. hurried notes seem to reverberate frc^m the leafy branches '.\] which the musician sits obscured, or are heard from the low roof of the vine-mantled cottage like the shrill and unwearied jiipe of some sylvan elf. The strain is continued even tluring the sultry noon of the summer's day, when most of the feath- tud songsters seek repose and shelter from the heat. His lively and querulous ditty is, however, still accomi)anied by the slower-measured, pathetic chant of the Red-eyed Idy- rilcher, the meandering, tender warble of the Musical Vireo, or the occasional loud mimicry of the Catbird ; the whole finning an aerial, almost celestial concert, which never tires the ear. Though the general i)erforman( e of our Wren bears no ini onsiderable resemblance to that of the I'.uropean s])ecies, vet his voice is louder, and his execution much more varied and (lilii^htf 1. He is rather a bold and insolent intruder upon those hirds wh reside near him or claim the same accommodation. He tVe(iuently causes the mild Hluebird or the Martin to relin- (]lli^h their hereditary claims to the garden box, and has been adiisc'd also of sucking their eggs. Xor is he any better con- tented with neighbors of his own fraternity who settle near him, krriMiig u]i frequent scjuabbles, like other little busybodies, who are never hajipy but in mischief; so that upon the whole, though we may justly admire the fine talents of tliis petulant domestic, he is, like many other actors, merely a good per- tonner. He is still u]iou the whole a real friend to the firmer and horticulturist, by the ntuuber of injurious insects and their il'Mnictive larvae on which both he and his numerous family suli-;st. Ifold and fearless, seeking out every advantageous as:,oi ialion, and making u]) in activity what he may lack in strength, he does not confine his visits to the cottage or the J70 SIN'filNTl BIRDS. country, but may often l)c heard on the tops of honses even in tlic midst of the city, warbUng with his usual energy. The House Wren is ;i common suinmer resident of .Massaehu setts, l)Ut is rarely seen north of tliis Slate. Tile oidv instance of its occurrence in \e\v Urunswielv is that ol a pair seen at Grand Falls by Mr. C. F. liatchelder. It is faiilv common near Montreal and tluougli southern Ontario, and i> abundant in Manitoba. It wiiUers in the .Middle States and southward. NoTiv — A Western form —distinguished from true ncdon by the prevalence of gray on its upper parts and its more di.slinct bars on the back — occurs from Illinois and Manitoba westward. Thiols Pakkman's \\'ki:n ( /'. acdon f^arkiiuDiii). The Wood Wkf.n ( /'. ainciicaiiits), mentioned bv Nutlall on the authority of .\uduI)on, should have been referred to 7". acdon. WI.Xri'R WRKN. Tro(;i.<)1)N ris ini..MAi,i.s. Char. Above, reddish brown, hiiglitest on the rump, market! with duk waved lines ; winLjs duskv, willi dark bars and wliitc spots ; under |>.ii:.> jialer brown, belly and under tail-covcrts with dark bars. Ix'ngth ah na 4 inches. y\^v7. .\t tlie for)t of a nio. in New York. Marly in the sjiring it is seen on its returiiin,' route to tlie Xorthwest. Mr. Say observed it in summer ii< .ir the base of the Rocky Motmtains ; it was also seen, at the same season, on the \Vhite Mountains of New Mampshire In the scientific exploring party of Dr. r.igelow, Messrs. lloott WINTER \VKi:.\. 271 s even Ml Massaclui k is lli.vt (M' U is iiiiilv vio. and i^ suites and aofonhy the incl liars on ard. 'I'lii^ is NuUallonlhe '. acdon. avkcd \vitli (Ink l)ts ; under i>.ii'> Length al-'H a fallen Ucc, ^v with tcalhoi- Ll, with reda-.-ii Middle Si lU- ^y way di-iin- It somoiinu'- U to Atulul'ii" ;ato, as well ;^ its retuvnin;: Slimmer n.-ir seen, at il^' lllamiishire I'v 1 Messrs. 1'-'"'^^ and Gray, so that it must retire to the Western or mountainous .solituiles to i)ass the period of incubation. Mr. Townsend iililained specimens of this binl in the ibrests of the CoUim- hia. During its residence in the Middle Slates it frecjuents the broken banks of rivulets, old roots, and decayed logs near watery phces in quest of its insect food. As in luirope, it also a[iiiroaches the farm-house, examines the wood-pile, erecting its tail, and creeping into the interstices like a mouse. It I'reiiuently mounts on some projecting object and sings with gre/il animation. In the gardens and outhouses of the city it aiipears ecpially familiar as the more common House Wren. The Wren has a pleasing warble, and much louder than might be expected from its diminutive si/.e. Its song likewise continues more or less throughout the year, — even during the ])r( \alence of a snowstorm it has been heard as cheerful as c\cr : it likewise continues its note till very late in the evening, tiiough not after dark. '1 "his species is common tlu'ougliout the Eastern States, breeding in northern New KngUmd and north to tiie (lulf of St. Lawrence, and westward through northern Ohio and Ontario to Manitoba. During the summer it occurs also, sparingly, on the Berkshire Hills in .Massachusetts. It winters from about 40^ southward. II id Xuttall ever met with the Winter Wren in its summer liaiiiUs ; had he heard its wild melody break the stilhiess of tlie hird's forest liome, or known t)f the power controlled by that tiny throstle and of its capacity for brilliant e.\eeution : hatl lie but once listened to its sweet and impassioned tone.s, and the suggestive joyousness of its rapid trills; had Xuttall. in short, ever lieard tlu' bird sing, — he could not, surely, have damned it with sueh f;iiiii i)raise. The song of tliis Wren is not well known, for the bird seldom siii-s beyond the nesting period, and then is rarely iieard away from tlie woodland groves. But once heard, the soni; is not soon fori;(]tten ; it is so wild and sweet a lav. and is thui.i;' upon tlie woodland quiet with such encrgv, sueh hilarious abandon, that it ionmiands attention. Its merits entitle it to rank among the best of our svlvan melodies. CAROLINA WREN. MOCKING WREN. TnRV( ) 11 K )KLS I.LIH niClAN'US, CllAU. Al)ovc, rcckli-sli brown, witli fine bhick bars ; l)c!ow, tawny biift : long line over tlie eye white or buff ; wings and tail witii dark h.\\>. Length 5^2 to 6 inches. A'l's/. In any available hole, often in liollow tree, sometimes in bnbh heap, usually in the woods ; composed of grass, leaves, etc., someiiii)!- fastened with corn-silk, lined with feathers, grass, or horse-hair. ^'■\%'^'- 3-6; white, with pink or buff tint, thickly speckled arouiii! larger end with reddish brown ; 0.75 X 0.60. This remarkable mimicking and Musical Wren is a constair. resident in the Sonthern States from Virginia to Morida. lr;'i is rarely seen at any season north of the line of Maryland or Delaware, though, attracted by the great river-courses, it \- abundant from Pittsburg to New Orleans. A few individual- stray, in the course of the spring, as far as the line of NH' York, and appear in New Jersey and the vicinity of Phil: ik: phia early in the month of May. On the lyth of Apri], ri- turning from a Southern tour of great extent, T again recognizci my old and pleasing acquaintance, by his usual note, nt:.: Chester, on the Delaware, where. T have little doubt. ;! ft^'M remain and pass the summer, retiring to the South onh 1 CAROLINA WREN. ^7'i below, tawny I'liff; il wit\> cUuk I'.uv sometimes in bvn-h •s, etc., somei •">•:« ^e-hair. speckled arouna l-cn is a con^talll to I'loriila. l>".t lof Maryland or [er-courscs, U i- few indivulU'^l^ Ihc Vine of Nf^'' lity of rhib>K; l^th of AP'-'^' ''\ -icrnin recognize*: Isual note, nc-- Je donbt, :'. f^"^' Ithe South onl'; as the weather becomes inclement. On the banks of the Patnpsco, near IJaltimore, their song is still heard to the close of November. Our bird has all the petulance, courage, industry, and famili- aiilv of his particular tribe. He delights to sur\ey the mean- ders of peaceful streams, and dwell amitlst the shady trees wliich adorn their banks. His choice seems to convey a taste for the })icturesque and beautiful in Nature, himself, in the foreground, forming one of the most pleasing attractions of llu' scene. Ai)proaching the waterfall, he associates with its niiirinurs the presence of the Kingfisher, and modulating the ho.irse rattle of his original into a low. varied, desponding note, he sits on some depending bough by the stream, and calls, at intervals, in a slow voice, tcc-yiirrh tcc-ylirrh, or c/ir''r' r' r'rh. \w the tall trees by the silent stream, he recollects the lively, cuuunon note of the Tufted Titmouse, and repeats the/<7(' /^(/o pc/o pi'ct, or his peevish kati-tcdiil, katih'diii, katcdiJ. While gleaning low, amidst fallen leaves and brushwood, for hiding and dormant insects and worms, he perhaps brings up the note of his industrious neighbor, the Oroimd Robin, and sets to his own sweet and li(iuids tones the simple towcrf foicwrf foa'rrf. The tremulous trill of the Pine Warbler is then recollected, and //■';•'/•';-'/•■';•'/•/; is whistled. In die next breath comes his imitation of the large Woodpecker, 7iiflifv 7C'oify 7C'<>//v and :^'i'/r/iy 7iwtchy ivotcliy, or fs/icTYC fsliame smart tunc is now set a chosen part of the drawling song of the Mcailow 1 irk, prcced'} prcccdo prcccff. then varied, rccedo rrcedo irccct anil tcccdo tcccdo tcccct ; or changing to a bass key, he tunes iootcct sootcct soot. Once, I heard this indefitigable mimic ;Utein[it delightfully the warble of the Illuebird in the niontli of February. The bold whisde of the Cardinal Pird is another of the soimds he delights to imitate and repeat in his f)wn quaint manner; such as vit-yh vit-yii vit-yit, and vishnit vishnu \nl , I. i,S 2/4 SINGING 151 KDS. rishiiii, then his ivoitce uKhn- c/ij iliKuiVy uttered quick ; the first of these expressions is in imitation of one of the notes ot the Scarlet Tanager. Amidst these imitations and variations, which seem almost endless, and lead the stranger to imaL^ine himself, even in the depth of winter, surrounded by all the quaint choristers of the summer, there is still, with our ( apri- cious and tuneful mimic, a favorite theme more constantly and regidarly re]:)eated than the rest. This was also the first sound that 1 heard from him, delivered with great spirit, thoni,']! in the dreary month of January. This sweet and melodious ditty, Iscc-toot tscc-toot tscc-toot, and sometimes tscc-toot / •"- toot sect, was usually uttered in a somewiiat ])laintive or tender strain, varied at each repetition with the most delightful mid delicate tones, of which no conception can be formed witliout experience. That this song has a sentimental air may be > on- ceived from its interpretation by the youths of the country, who i)retend to hear it say s'ccct-Jicarf sivcct-hcart sweet ! Nor is the illusion more than the natural truth ; for, usually, thi:^ affectionate ditty is answered by its mate, sometimes in the same note, at others, in a different call. In most cases it will be remarked that the phrases of our songster are uttered in 3's ; by this means it will generally be practicable to distinuiish its performance from that of other birds, and particularly iVdih CAROLINA \VKi:\. 275 iltcc linltec. jil Vivcu ill ould appear .ions of iIk; ec wit, aivl i-rived willuii hcrry ts/n/n Bird, yet in ruary, one of repeated twr iooliiii >-ooldit kui/iC tshiikd- ,'d quick ; lUe jf the notes ot and variations, ger to imaL^ine led by all the with our caiiri- lore constaiuly ,s also the fust |t spirit, thoirji iind melodi'iib tscr-toot />"■■ lUive or tender delightful :U1(1 [ormed widiont r may he < ""' If the couiurv, rts-iocd! N'>r ■, usually, thb .etirnes in the ist cases it wiH are uttered m to distiuLi'iish Irticularly I'low ilic Cardinal (Irosbeak, whose expressions ii often closely inii- lales both in power and delivery. I hliall ne\er, 1 helii'si., .•t Ih e soolhiuLr ^,ali.->ra( lion and amusement 1 derived fi oni thiri iitUe constant and unwearied niiiislrel, my sole vocal coni- |i,inion through many weary miles of a vast, desolate, and (ilherwise cheerless wilderness. \el with all his readiness to se hy his I'rotean song, the epitome of all he had ever aimi IkmiiI or recollecleil, he was slul studious of concealment •veeiimy busily engaged near the ground, or in low thickets, in (|iiesl of his food ; and when in- mounted a log or brush pile, wITu h he had just examined, his color, so similar to the fallen leaves and wintry livery of Nature, often prevented me from i;, lining a glimpse of this wonderful and interesting mimic. hike the preceding species, he has restless activity and a l.>\e for prying into the darkest corners after his prey, and is i( inity of ri\ers and wet ])laces, larlv attached to the v ji.ntKai when not surrounded by gloomy shade. His (juick and capri- ( iDUs motions, antic jerks, and elevated tail resemble the actions oftlie House \\'ren. Imager and lively in his contracted tlight, hefore shifting he (piickly throws himst'lf forward, so as nearly to touch his ])erch ])revious to springing from his legs. In Tuscaloosa and other towns in Alabama he a]ipeared fre(|ueiuly uiKin the tops of the barns and out-houses, delivering with ciurgv his varied and desultory lay. At Tallahassee, in \\'est Morida, T observed one of these birds chanting near the door of a cottage, and occasionally imitating, in his way, the stiuall- inu iifthe crying child within, so that, like the Mocking liird, all -ounds, if novel, contribute to his amusement. 'I'his species is cmninnn in the Soutlieni States and north to 40"". hciii^- extremely abundant in southern Illinois, and it oei aidonaiiy wanders to northern Ohio and to Massachusetts. XoTi-. The Fi.oiui)\ Wki:n- ( 7". lu.lovinaiin-i ii:id)iirnsis) is a lar-cr. darker form, which is restricted to soudieastern ITorichi. 276 SINGING BIRDS. BI':WICK'S WREN. LONG-TAll.LD HOUSE WREN. 'rilKVOlHOKUS UlAVICKU. Char. Above, chestnut brown ; wings and tail with dark bars; buff stripe over eye; below, dull white; Hanks bruwn. Length 5 to 5'j inches. Al-sf. Almost anywhere. In settled districts it is usually built in ,1 crevice of a house or barn ; but in the woods a hollow tree or stump is selected, or a clump of bushes. Composed of a mass of leaves, grass, etc., roughly put together. ^w^. 4_7; white or with pink tint, thickly marked with fine spots of reddish brown and purple; 0.65 X 0.50. For the discovery of this beautiful species of Wren, appar- ently allied to the preceding, with which it seems nearly to agree in size, we are intlebted to the indefatigable Audubon, in whose splendid work it is for the first time figured. It was observed by its discoverer, towards the approach of winter, in the lower part of Louisiana. Its manners are very similar to those of other species, but instead of a song, at this season it only uttered a low twitter. Dr. Dachman found this species to be the most prevalent of any other in the mountains of Virginia, particularly about the Salt Suli)hur Springs, where they breed and pass the season. The notes bear some resemblance to those of the Winter Wren, being scarcely louder or more connected. From their hal)it of prying into holes and h(jllow logs they are supposed to bret'd in such situations. Mr. Trudeau believes that they breed in loni- siana. In the marshy meadows of the ^Vahlamet Mr. Townsciid and myself frecpiently saw this species, accompanied by the yoimg, as early as the month of May, At this time they have much the habit and manners of the Marsh ^^'ren, and probalily nest in the tussocks of rank grass in which we so frequcntlv saw them gleaning their prey. They were now shy, and ranly seen in the vicinity of our camp. Bewick's Wren is abundant along the Mississippi valley, but is rarely seen east of tlie Alleghanies or north of latitude 40°. SII0RT-I5ILLED MARSH WRLN. 277 ■k bars ; buff lly buill in ;i (; or stunii; is .•cs, gVilSs, •-■l^'i li fine spots of ^Vren, api):ir- ms nearly to AutUibon, in Lired. It was of winter, in .-cry similar to this season it it prevalent of irly abottt the ;s the season. ^V inter Wren, their hahit of ;e(l to breod m breed in 1 oui- iMr.Townscml )anied by the :ime they have [, and probably so frequcntlv Ishy, and rarely Li valley, but is lide 4o°- SHORr-BILLED iMARSH WREN. Clb'l'O'rilUKLS blLXLAKLS. ("IIAR. Above, brown, very dark on trown and back, and streaked c\erywliere witli white; winys and tail with dark bar.> ; below, luitly white, i)aler oil throat and belly; breast and sides sluuled with brown. Leii,i;tli 4/j inches. .\',.>/. On the giound, amid a tuft of high grass, in fresh-water marsh or sw.unpy meadow ; eoinposiji.1 of grass, lined with vegetable chnvn. Usu- ally the tojjs of surrounding grass are weaved above the nest, leaving an cniiaiice at the side. /i^'-i. 6-t); white; 065 X 0.50. This amusing and nut unmusical little species inhabits the lowest marshy meadows, but docs not frequent the reed- flats. It never \ isits cultivated grounds, and is at all limes shy, timid, and suspicious. It arrives in this part of Massachusetts about the close of the first week in May, and retires to the SotUh by the middle of September at farthest, probably by night, as it is ne\ er seen in progress, so that its northern resilience is only lirulonged about four months. In winter this bird is seen from South Carolina to Texas. His presence is announced by his lively and quaint song of 'tsh '/s//i/>, a (/ay day day day, delivered in haste and earnest at short intervals, either when he is mounted on a tuft of sedge, or while perching on some low bush near the skirt of the marsh. The 'tsh 'tship is uttered with a strong aspiration, and the remainder with a guttural echo. While thus engaged, hi^ head and tail are alternately dejiressed and elevated, as if thi' little odd performer were fixed on a pivot. Sometimes the note varies to 'Uhip 'txhip '/ up a 'tsliip 'tship Isliip a i/cc, with a pleasantly warbkd and reiterated (/c. At a later period another male uiUivd liille else than a hoarse and guttnral tAi/i^//, hardly luiider than the croak- ing of a frog. When ujjproaehed, these birds repeatedly (les( end into the grass, where they s[)end much of their time in ([UeNt of insects, chielly crustaceous, which with moths, constitute (lnii l)rincipal fooil ; here, unseen, they still sedulously utter tin. ir quaint warbling, and /s///p tsliip a day Jay (/ay (/ay may fur about a month from their arrival be heard j^leasantly cchoiiif; on a fine morning from the borders of ever\ low marsh and wit meadow {Provided with tusso(-ks of sedge-grass, in which thiy indisjjcnsably dwell, for a time engaged in the cares and gr iti- fication of raising and ])rovi whole, of the linty fibres of the silk- weed or some other similar material. The eggs, pure white and destitute of s[i()t>, are ])robably from 6 to 8. In a nest containing 7 eggs tluTi' were 3 of them larger than the rest and perfectly fresh, whik' the 4 siiiaZ/rr were far advanced towards hatching ; from tbi- circumstance we may fairly infer that /av> differerii individnali had laid in the same nest, — a circumstance more common among wild birds than is generally imagined. This is also tin more remarkable as the male of this species, like many otln'r Wrens, is much employed in making nests, of which not niori than one in three or four are ever occupied by the females. The summer limits of this species, confounded with the ordinary Mnrsh-^^■ren, are yet unascertained ; and it is singii- lar to remark how near it approaches to another sj^ecies in- habiting the temperate parts of the southern hemisphere in America, namely, the Sy/i'ia p/afcnsis, figured and indicated by i,()\(;-iin.i,i:i) marsh wkf.x. 279 vurbU1 i)f mslimie tluir ly utter th. ir day may tor antly echnini,' iiarsh ond '.wt in whicdi they ires and grati- I nadc whollv ot :he ti)i> of ihc ih much iiv^e- osely entwined rather obx uro imes addetl to or some other .titute of ^l'"t>, |g 7 eggs there ■tly fresh, whik xwd, ; from tb> •eriv mdiviiki^ik more common I'his is also tlu |ike many other hic:h not m'-'f^ Ihe females, tided ^vilU tk^' nd it is suigu- her species in- hemisphe've ii; d indicated by llailbn. The time of arrival and departnrr in tliis ^|h'( ies, ;iL(reeing exactly uilii the appearance of the Mar>h W reii of WiUtin, a[)i)ears to pro\e tiial it also exists in I'ennsvKania with the follo\vin,Li, wiiose migration, according to Audubon, is more tiian a monili earlier and later tlian that of our bird. Mr. ( iioper, however, has not been able to meet witii it in the vii inity of New N'ork, but Dr. Trudeau found its nest in the iii:n>hes of the Delaware. This Wren oeeurs throuLchout the IkiMteni I'roviiiee iiortli to Massachusetts on tlie Athintie, and in the west to Manitolia, breed- iii,U generally nortii ol" 40^ and winteriiiL; in the (lulf States, it is found in eastern Canada only on tiie marslies near Laio many nests being amicably occupied in the near neighborh(;od in which they arc commonly found. This Wren is common in suitable localities in Massachusetts, Imt has not been found farther noitlnvard. It occurs westward to ilie Pacific, and south (in winter) to tlie ("nilf States. It appears on Canadian territory only in southern Ontario and Manitoba. Note. — Mr. W. E. D. Scott discovered at Tarpon Springs, Flor- ida, in 1888, a Wren tliat resenililes /^^/Z/^vZ/vj-, but differs in luninj; bars on tlie upper and under tail-coverts ; also the ])ro\vn color ha.s a more decided tinge of olive than of rufous. Mr. Scott has named the bird, in honor of his wife, M.MU.w's M.\ksii Wki:x {Cisto- t/ioni\ /luu/iiiicc). It is common along the southwestern coasi of Florida. KL'liV-CRO\VNi:i) KIN(;i.r,l', 281 \\\v^ 10 tlv he \»rccc(l ,vaiv, opl'"- rowanls llu' un cITdiI oI a sul"tui<.iit ^ is formed nt ,lh mud, an^l small orifKO lateriul of llii^ accordiiv^ t» •sock of \vl»" 1^ nest about iIh' 1 \n)u(l in csts fouu'l a-en, it i^ |l in the u>u.\l ■he pugnacious lossi\)ility of >o neigiiboihuod jissAcbusotts, but 11 appeal^ on lanitoba. Ln Spvinss, Flor- [Viffcrs in havi'.v,- Ibrown color lv.i> k-.)U has namnl WkkN iCrc. The single specimen duu GOLDEN-CROWN r;n KINGLET. Ri;(;li.l's sapkapa. Char. Aliovc, olive, luightcst on the innip ; crown with patch of orange red and yellow, bordered by black (female and young lacking the nd) ; forehead and line over eyes and i)atch beneath, dull white ; wings and tail dusky, the feathers eilgcd with dull bulf; two white bars on wings; below, dull white with bulf tint. J.ength 4 Indies Xc-st. In damp coniferous woods, often wholly or i)artiallv jicndent fnmi small twigs near end of branch (sometimes saddled upon the branch) 10 In 50 feet fr(jm the ground; usually made of green moss and lichens, lined at bottom with shreds of soft bark and roots, and often with feathers la>tened to inside of edge, and so arranged that the lips droop over and cdiK.eal the eggs ; sometimes the nest is a spherical mass of moss and lichens, lined with vegetable down and wool ; the entrance at the side. /.'v.C'. 6-10 ; usually creamy or pale Iniff, sometimes white, unmarked, or dotted with jxde rcddi>li brown and lavender over entire surface, uft(.n merely a wreath, more or less distinct around larger end; 0.55 X 0.45. 'I hese diminutive birds are found, according to the season, not only throughout North America, but even in the West Iiiilirs. They appear to be associated only in pairs, and are si en on their soiuhern route, in this ])art of ^L^ssachusetts, a few d;iys in October, and about the middle of the month, or a litde earlier or later according to the setting in of the season, as they ap]K\ir to fly before the desolatin,[f storms of the north- ern reLi;ions, whither they retire about May to breed. Some K w remain in Pennsylvania until ])eceiid)er or January, pio- eecding prol)ably but little fartlier south duriuL,^ the winter. They are not known to reside in any part of New England, retiring to the same remote and desolate limits of the farthest Nuiih with the preceding species, of which they have most of 284 SINGING BIRDS. the habits. They are actively engaged during their transient visits to the South in gleaning up insects and their lurking larvae, for which they perambulate the branches of trees of various kinds, frec^uenting gardens and orchards, and skipping and vaulting from the twigs, sometimes head downwards like the Chickadee, with whom they often keei) company, making only now and then a feeble chirp. They apjjcar at this tini.: to search chiefly after spiders and dormant concealed coleop- terous or shelly insects ; they are also said to feed on small berries and some kinds of seeds, which they break open by pecking with the bill in the manner of the Titmouse. They likewise frequent the sheltered cedar and pine woods, in which they probably take u\) their roost at night. Early in iVpril they are seen on their return to the North in Pennsylvania ; at this time they dart among the blossoms of the maple and elm in company with the preceding species, and appear more vola- tile and actively engaged in seizing small flies on the wing, and collecting minute, lurking caterpillars from the opening leaver On the 2 1st of May, 1S35, I observed this species feeding its full-fledged young in a tall pine-tree on the banks of the Columbia River. The range of this species is now set down as " Eastern Xoith America west to the Rockies, breeding from the northern border of the United States nortiiwaid, wintering in the Eastern States and south to (iautemala." Until quite recently it was supposed to be a migrant tlirough Massachusetts, wintering' in small nund). rs. but has been discovered breeding in both Berkshire and Worcester counties. Nests iiave been taken also on the Catskills. It is a resident of the settled portion of Canada, though not conunon \\e>t of the Georgian 15ay, and rarely breeding south of latitude 45°. The song is a rather simple '-twittered warble," shrill and high pitched. lir transient t^eir lurkin;^ of trees of ,nd skippi"^^ vnwards likt: )any, making ' at this tinv.: ealed coleoi.- fcecl on small Teak open \)y mouse. 'Hu'v ,-ooas,inwlw:h Karly in Al"'^^ ninsylvania; at aiaple and ehn pear more vola- ,n the wing, ^^^^^^ opening le^ive.. species feeding the banks of the " K astern North northern border he Eastern States I was supposed to In small numbers. M,-e and Worcester [calskUls. It's a not common^v^e>' |,f latitude 45°- shriU and h^e,.- B L U E B I R 1 ). SlALIA SIAI.IS. CilAR. Male : above, azure blue, duller on checks ; throat, breast, and sides reddish brown ; belly and under tail-coverts white ; shafts of feathers ill wing and tail, black. Female : duller, blue of back niixctl with grayish brown; breast with less of rufous tint. Lenj;th about 6.'4. inches. A'l-st. In a hollow tree, deserted Woodpecker's hole, or other excava- tion or crevice, or in a bird-box ; meagrely lined with grass or feathers. Ei,%'s. 4-6 ; usually pale blue, sometimes almosi white ; 0.85 X 0 65. 'I'hcse well-known and familiar favorites inhabit almost the whole eastern side of the continent of America, from the 4Sth par.dlel to the vcy line of the tropics. Some appear to mi- grate in winter to the Bermtidas and Ilahama islands, though most of those which pass the summer in the North only retire to the Southern States or the tableland of Mexico, In South Carolina and Georgia they were abundant in January and Feb- ruary, and even on the 12th and 2.Sth of tlie former month, the weather being mild, a few of these wanderers warbled out their sim])lc notes from the naked limbs of the long-leaved pines. Sometimes they even pass the winter in I'ennsylvania, or at Ica^t make their appearance with almost every relenting of the sevrnty of the winter or warm gleam of thawing sunshine. From this, circumstance of their roving about in (|uest of their scanty food, like the hard-pressed and hungry Robin Redbreast, who by degrees gains such courage from necessity as to enter the cottage for his allowed crumbs, it has, without foundation, 286 SINGING lilKDS. been supjiosed that our Ijlucbinl, in the intervals of liis absence, passes the tedious and stormy time in a stale of dormancy ; but it is more probable that he Hies to some sheltered glade, some warm and more hospitable situation, to glean his frugal fare from the berries of the cedar or the wiiUry fruits which still remain imgathered in the swamps. Defended from the severity of the cold, he now also, in all prt)l)ability, roosts in the hollows of decayed trees, — a situation whicli he general!} chooses for the site '>'" his nest. In the South, at this clu-er- less season, IHuebirtls are seen to feed on the glutinous berries of the mistletoe, the green-brier, and the siunach. Content with their various fare, and little affected by tlie extremes of heat and cold, they breed antl spend the summer from Labrador tu Natches, if not to INIexico, where great ele\ation jjrodiices the most temi)erate and mild of climates. They are also abundant, at this season, to the west of the i\lisslssipi)i, in the territories of the Missouri and .\rkansas. In the Middle and NorUiern States the return of the Blue- bird to his old haunts round the barn and the orchard is hailed as the first agreeable presage of returning spring, and he is no less a messenger of grateful tidings to the farmer, thin an agreeable, familiar, and useful companion to all. 'J'houL;h sometimes he makes a still earlier flitting visit, from the 3d to the middle of March he comes hither as a i)ermanent resident, and is now accompanied by his mate, who immediately visits thu box in the garden, or the hollow in the decayed orchard tree, which has served as the cradle of preceding generations of hi- kindred. Affection and jealousy, as in the contending ami n lated Thrushes, have considerable influence o\er the Jiluebini. He seeks perpetually the company of his male, caresses and soothes her with his amorous song, to which she faintly replies: and, like the faithful Rook, seeks occasion to show his galliii- try by feeding her with some favorite insect. If a rival m iki his appearance, the attack is instantaneous, the intruder i- driven with angry chattering from the ]»recincts he has chosen. and he now returns to warble out his notes of triumph 1)\ tin side of his cherished consort. The business of preparing an : ■ his absence, f dormancy ; Itcrcd glade, aw his frugal y fruils which kd front the ility, roDsls in h he generall} at this cheev- utinous berrier, Content with tremes of he^^t in Labrador to 1 produces the ■ also abiHidaut, I the territories rn of the I'.lue- the orchard i;> ig s\n-ing, and he the farmer, th in to all. 'I'hough from the 3d to manent resident, Idiately visits the l-il orchard tree, l-nerations of 'm- litending antl k- [or the r.luebini. lie, caresses ;ini! L faintly rei>li^'>' |sho\v his gall:uv Tf a rival m il<^ the intrucU i i~ Is he has cho>cu triumpl^ by ib' If i)reparing i^"' l)I,Li;i;iRi). 287 (leaning out the old 1, est or l)()x now commences; and even in ()ct(jber, before they 1)1,1 farewell to iheir favorite mansion, on line days, inlluenced by the anticipation of the season, they are often observed to go in and out of the box, as if e.xaininiiig and planning out their future domicile. Little pains, however"^ i\w requisite for the protec:tion of the hardy young, and a sub- st:inlial lining of hay, and now and then a few feathers, is all that is prepared for the br(.>od beyon.l the natural shelter u\ the chosen situation. As the Martin and Ijuu^e Wren seek out the favor and convenience of the box, contests are not uiifreciuent with the i)arties for exclusive possession ; and the latter, in various clandestine ways, exhibits his envy and hos- tiiitv to the favored IMuebird. As our birds are very prolific, and constantly ]Kiired, they often raise 2 and sometimes i)rob- al)ly 3 l)roods in the season; the male taking the youngest unler his affectionate charge, while the female is engaged in the act of nicubation. Iheir principal food consists of insects, panic ularly beetles ami other shelly kinds; they are also fond of spiders and gia,-^lioi)pers, for which they often, in company with their ymin,-, in autumn, descend to the earth, in open jiasture fields or waste grounds. Like our 'ihru^hes, they, earlv in spring, also collect the common wire-worm, or //////.-, f.r food, as wJll as other kinds of insects, which they commonlv watch for. while perched on the fences or low houghs of trees, and dart ailer them to the ground as soon as ]ierci'ive.l. 'I'hey are not. however, flycatchers, like the Sv/r/n'Ary and .]Us.-/ra/>„s, iHit are rather industrious searchers for subM.lence, like tlij Thrudies, whose habits they wholly resemble in their mode "I iVe.ling. In the autumn they regale themsehes on various kiniL of berries, as those of the sour-gum. wild-cherry, and "thers; and later in the season, a^ winter ai)proaches, they fiv(]iicnt the red cedars and several spet never enter- ing into the diet of the proi)er I'lycatchers. 'J'hey ha\-e also, C((.;i>ionally, in a state of (onfinement, been reared and fed 288 SINGING BIRDS. on soaked bread and vegetable diet, on which they thrive as well as does the Robin. The song of the lUuebird, which continues almost nninttr- ruptedly from March to (October, is a sof^ rather feeble, but delicate and pleasing warble, often repeated at various times of the day, but most freina associations with native harmony : so the Illuebird often at the commencement of his song seems tenderly to call in a whistled tone 'hear — Jicar buty, buty ? or merely //ing Bluebird often at lerly to call m a erely //<■nsort, h '' ^''Haioiis and si[ ^ iivoids b^.tr, ^S9 lying tl (■(ill '^^:'-''^'^^ and |:.,iZ:::!;'''^^-^^'n their /^ '^ tile resort of rted by e\ "■"unnn for the farm '^'0- lover of n,n,l '']' ^^'''^'n undi.sturl \\e the .M ler t( scent ■ry )erj ind fate. ( "•'' •society It is is irtin. le (les I'llness of hi triictiun he mak '» return for tl «'"'-" "H. nM;;;:„;'v;"' ""■ le f with hili 'ittle alarm fc •^^»ff- Conful ^'« I'I'on injurioi, I^'^-'isiuv of h I'enioti jr ■-'"t in (h •s msec a hox- '^ '"onipaiii ind tJir rh Of ■'•hard "-•""--..«/::„';:■'!""■■;'• V'^^^y witii h\ i'UMider, and ' «pecting no 'lenient s anxious mate lie b, viMtor but uh )n un e'er- houv; We ni the ;i(ii()ii.s t o ca lid >"'K round his h -'"3 injury to '"^^■ards autu uun all dan ead ••-•u-ad.-, t/i "Id han(b (■• a I) ^■"bv, in ,„„i. reproach of the "^■"■'y eeases. '^'•'^■-' to his helpless | '""' '" the month of 'f "pon hini.vlfratl •■^PP^-ars by hi. irood KT th, "1 suffer of /,// tile [\x inirll '"y-'Oi/, while h y '^ 'i.,u- chan-cd Oetol )er, into '^' passes with h,,s d and '.^^^■"'•e of sprin lis son- dr.t i his cheerfid '■' /^''l!.^'e plaint ''"'iipanion ittin< song i\"e note I'lit loo trulv th ^' •'^o nou- his melanch "•"M-ht th e \\f ulu n th e' Jea\ ^' Client and 'es ''^^■^' fallen, and "if'urnful d eca '"'y plaint I s o\cr Iconie th •^■'" ''-om the blast, tl the f, y of \ "'es.ifr^.. aliu-( "rest no Ion- I ven '"' native i^iAA ■ i "'- "L'd.s. and onh- ;^' ''"■""''' fiiuebird u-iuii ,it iiiori) >iiidl 111' ■' considerable el take their d s s till ^•r adiuxl, 'i'lger o\ till th .\''t. aftc "f ni(i(!e 'ile ,ii, .ire th •■•'^I'lg froops to opvnins; of the d ^'^•"""1, in the earl ^'Paiture in Xoven,) s a er )er. some mil i\-, th '" ''^■fo'l, in the .Vui der re iro rate weather we h as if deploring th they ^''t- visits that '.^'i all th ear th t' rava mav lie St ■'y tu-ilight of the . ^^^^-''iS their u-ay u^ :""^ '" f'^^' '^""th. |j„t eir 'tes, with sad note in the fiel e\-er\- ret ges of winte Is or irn e bluebird eir wanderings tid th •'^^"<' to follcnv fa i»d so frequent '■"'"^■^•red that tl *-"\'L^r tried the cl ^' P^'rmanent return of ^'|lL■s "'^'■t!i of latitiid <-' weather tl I mat 'r weather spring. acre was e -)l" I a lira. '"'"I" die fa 45°. .-\ fe, "Of suitaMe. f and ■M-.;:;; c™t* - "- -p^^ s pairs are s die Afi onlv P Cox has see ■amichi. Co n several at N J"/in. ill Xc^v j: ""■• it evidently -■'y y season or now it rar ecu e\-ei "(-'cairrence nieau found ewcastle. near tl riiiiswick le mouth of .v.ai, lounc a nair hi-o,, i- "lourii of ;;i'°r'o<.a.ce,„,,r;;:;;;;^';:;;;;,X^"'" -.i. WUlvVri'AK. Saxrola (Knanthi:. Char. Above, Ijluish gray; forehead and stripe over eyes wliiic; patcli on cheek and wings lilack; rump white ; initldlc tail-feathers Muk, rest wliite, l)roadly tipjied with black; under parts white. In the iViiiak' the upper parts are brown, and under ])arts buff. Length 6)2 inche,-. AVs/. In a crevice of a stone wall or a stone heap; made of plain stems and grass, lined with feathers, hair, or rabbit's fur. /'A's'-f- 5-7 ; P^It-' blue, sometimes spotted with pale tawny, or iiuipk; 0.S5 X 0.65. Tlie first mention of the occurrence of thi.s species in castcrii America api)carccl in Ilolhoil's account of the birds of Crecnland. issued in 1846; it had licen reported jjreviously from tiie I'aiifn coast by Vi,ti;ors. In 1854 tlie name appeared in Cassin's work, and in Baird's "Report" of 1859 it was recorded as "accidriii.i! in tlie northern part of North America." It should not be termed accidental at the present day. f'^'' i' occurs rejiularly in Greenland and Labrador and at Ciodboul, on the St. Lawrence, and has been taken in winter in Nova .S. oti.i. Maine, New York, Lone; Island, Louisiana, and Bermuda. American writers formerly i;ave the vernacular name as ".Stoiu- chat," or "Stone Chat." — Coues alone addin<; Wheatear (.is .■ synonym). WHKAIKAK. 291 r^ ,vcr oyes wliiic; In the iViiuik' \, G^-j inchc.-. ni;ule of I'l-"'' Tlif Stonorliat is ;i (lilTLrL-nt bird, llionnh Maj^ilK^'vay callid llir pivsi'iil spi'cit'S tliu " Whitc-ninipccl Stoiicrluit." 'riiioiij;li()ut I, mope tlu- bird is coniinoiily known as tlit' " Wliiti' rump," and vlicatcar " a corruption ol ivliit< S.iundcrs considers tiic name .11111 U')S. the An;;l()-Sa.\on ccpiivalent of the m od em word lump iro| )e and Asia iIk' species is ai)un(ianl. hreedini' fro m ( cn- iial I'airope far to tlie nortinvard, and minratiuL; in winter to north (in Africa. A fi'W winter in the Uritisli Islands, thouj^li tliese may lu; of till' Oreenhmd race, wliich some autliors tliink is a distinct tnrin, — larger tiian those tliat breed in Europe, as the (ireen- aiK 1 I)irds are known to migrate across Great IJritaii Ri (luwa y stall s thai tile exam])lLS takiii on our western coast are smaller and iiKirr like tiiose found in central I'lurojie. I'ornurly lari^e numbers were trajiped in the autumn on the Sniiihdowns in luiLiland, and mar ■ted hemy considered ittk interior in delicacy to the famous (Ortolans. The favorite resorts of tlie Wheatear at ail seasons arc the lonely iiKinrs or oijcn meadows by the sea-shore. It is an active bird and always alert, keepin,!.;; up a per])etual flittinL,^ It is very lerrrestrial, tluni^h the (Ireenland race is said to perch on trees more fre- Hlkil lly than the l'-uro|)ean bird. The .son}f is sweet and sprit^litly, and the male often sinji;s while liovi'rinjj; over his mate. Mr. Ilagerup writes to me that the birds in (liv.cnland sin<,' at times very similarly to the Snow Huntinj^s, — a sont^ that he never 1 from the Wheateais of Denmark, — and this son<; is reii- lKMr( (K led by both females and males. lawny, or inn pit. Uies in castciii of Crcenluiil. Uii the r.>'i"' Cassin's work. as " accitU ii^'>' sent day. t"^'' '' [at Godbovil, on In Nova Scoti.i. Irmuda. lame as " Su)ik- Ivheatear ( -^^ ^ ami:ri('an PiiTr. TITLARK. AnTHUS I'KNNSVI.VAMCrS. C'llAK. Above, olive blown, edges of the featlicrs jialer; line dwi and around the eye pale buff ; wings dusky, edges of t'eathcr.s pale bmu n ; tail duskv, middle feathers olive brown, large patehes of white on ouin featliers; below, dull buff, breast and sides spotted with brown. Length 614 inches. ,\V.>.' Oil the ground, usually sheltered by stone or inouiid ; a bulk\ affair of grass, steins, moss, and lichens, — sometimes only grass is u>ui, — often loosely made, occasionally compact. /'^-.X-^- 4-6; variable in color, usuallv tliill white covered thickly wuli reddish brown and iiurplish brown ; sometimes the markings so ikmiIv conceal the ground color as to give appearance of a brown egg with gray streaks ; o So X 0.60. This is a winter bird of passage in most parts of the Unikil States, arriving in loose, scattered flocks from the North, in the Middle and Eastern States, abont the second week in October. In the month of Ai)ril we saw mimerotis fltn ks flitting over the prairies of Missouri, on their way, no doubt. to their breeding quarters in the interior. Audubon f()!;n(l these birds also in the summer on the dreary coast of Labra- dor. During the breeding season the male often rises on wiiii^ to the height of eight or ten yards, uttering a few clear .iiid amI':rican rii'iT 293 pakT; line cvci lu-isiuile bviiwn; white on cuki brown, l.t-iiii'li imouiul; ;i l'u;k\ ly grass is n-ul, red thickly wth Ikings so ni-.r.lv brown egg NMil' )f the UniK'l Ithc North, in tond week m inerous llo' ks [ay, no doubt, luhibon foiuiil oast of l.ahi.i- rises on \v hl; Ifew clear nul mellow notes, nnd then suddenly settles down nenr the nest or f)n some |)roje(tin,>f rock. They leave Labrador and Neu- iiiiindland as soon as the younj; are ahle to lly, or about the middle of August. Aecording to tlu-ir well-known habits, they tifiiurnt open llats, commons, and piou.L^lird fields, like a l,:irk, running- rapidly along the ground, taking by surprise their iiisi'( t ]irey of llies, midges, and other kinds, and when rest- iiiL; for an instant, keeping the tail xihrating in the manner of the IOuroi)ean Wagtail, 'i'hey also fricpient the river shores, p.iiticularly where gravelly, in (|uest of mmute shell-fish, as well as a(]uatie insects and their lar\;e. At tliis time they iiiur only a feeble note or call, like Awi'/ /aV;/, with the final tiiiK' often plaintively ])rolonged; and when in Hocks, wheel about and lly ])retly high, and to a considerable distance before ihcy alight. Sometimes families of these birds continue all winter in the Middle States, if the season i)rove moderate. In the Southern States, particularly North and South ("arolina, thev appear in great llocks in the dejjth of winter. ( )n the shores of the Santee, in January, I observed them gleaning their food familiarly amidst the Vultures, drawn by the rubbish of the city conveyed to this quarter. They likewise fre(iuent the cornfields and rice-grounds for the same jnirpose. They emigrate to the Bermudas, Cuba, and Jamaica, and penetrate in the course of the winter even to Mexico, (iuiana, and llrazil. They also inhabit the plains of the Oregon. They are again seen on their return to the North, in Pennsylvania, abuut tile beginning of May or close of April. Xests of the Titlark have been found on the mountains of Colorado. XoTic. — Two European congeners of the Titlark, the White \Va(,tail {Jfo/aci7/a ^7//'//) and the .Mi:.\i)ow I'li-rr {Antluts pra- ir/isis) have been captured in r.reenland, but should be considered merely as " accidentals " in that region. v:; .H- l^j'-L < / •■■■ "'■^^"• HORNED LARK. SH(JKK I.AKK. O'KHOkIS A I. ITS IRIS. Char. Above, dull grayish brown streaked -.villi darker; nape, shtuil. ders, and riimi) iiink-vinaceous ( iiiiuuiiDn ; black bar across forehead aiul aloni,' sides of Iiead, lerininating in erectile Iiorn-like tnfts; throat ami line over the eyes, yellow ; black bar from nostril curving below the e\v>; VkIow, didl white, shaded on the sides wilii same color as back; brt,i-t tinged with yellow and bearing large bhu k jiatch ; middle tail-featlms like back, the rest black, with white patches on outer pair. Length ab i:ii 7^ inches. Xisf On the ground, amid a bed of moss; composed of grass, lined with feathers. /?^;;''j'. 4-5, dull white with buff or iiurjilc tint spotted with puii'li?!) brown or olive brown and lilac; 0.93 X 0.70. This beautiful species is common to the north of both th^' old and new continent ; but, as in some other instances alrcadx n- marked, the Shore T^ark extends its mi!j;rations nvirb fnrtb :\ir America than over luirope and Asia. ' )ur ' .is n in i with in the Arctic regions by the n'' c\>, A Mr. llullock saw it in the winter around iiym xicr mi that in their migrations over this continent ncse bii is spread tlicni- seh-es across the whole habitable nortlurn I niisphere to the very equator; while in Eur()i)e, according to the careful obscr- lloKNIM) lARK. 295 spsi: * / ifi* f. ''H sed of grass, lined Ittcd with purplish of both the oia liiccs alrcndv n- .1 Mr. .0 that .-, spread ll''^'»i- ni sphere ti' ^^i^' ic careful ob^^'t- \i(< vntions of Tcmminck, tlu-v an' unknown to tlu- south of ( ier- manv. I'allas met will) tiusc birds round Lake llaikal and on the Xolga, in the 5;,d degree of laliliidc. Wf^iward they have also been seen in tlie interior of the United Stales, along tiie ■>h(iris of the Missouri. i hey arrive in the Norlliern ami Miihllo States late in the I. II or eommencenunt of winter. In \rw llngland they are Mill c.irly in October, and disapijcar gvinTally on the approach III the deep storms of snow, though straggling parties are still loiind nearly thronghoiii the winter. In the other States to tile South they are more connnon at this season, and are par- iii ularly nimierons in South Carolina and Ceorgia, fretincnting ii|un plains, old fields, common grounds, and the dry shores ami banks of bays and rivers, keeping constantly on the giotmd, and roving about in families under the guidance of the oMer birds, who, watching for any ap])roa( hing danger, give thr alarm to the young in a plaintive (all very similar to that uhi( h is uttered by the Skylark in the same circtnnstanc is. Iiixparable in all their movements, like the hen and her fos- ten of insects when theyfiiU in their way. About the middle of March they retire to the North, and are seen about the htginning of May round Hudson Uay, after which they are 111) more observed till the return of autumn. They arrive in the fur countries along with the l.apland Huntings, with which they associate ; and being more shy, act the sentinel usually to 296 SINGING lilRDS. the whole coniijany in advertising them of the apjiroach of danger. 'I'hey soon after retire to the marshy and woody (h^- tricts to breed, extending their summer range to the Arctic Sea. 'I'hey are said to sing well, rising into the air and warbling as they ascend, in the manner of the Skylark of Europe. '•'i"hc male," says Audubon, like the ( 'onmion Lark, "soars into the air, sings with cheerfulness over the rescjrt of his mate, aiil roosts beside her and his nest on the grt)und. having at llis season a very remarkable a])pearance in the development of the black and horndike egrets." Ha])])v Xuttall. to liavc died before "variety making ' came into fasliioni ]'t/u had but one form of Horned Lark to deal with. while I am confronted with eic'i\n. Fortun.itely a large number ol tliese sub-sjjeeies have never taken it into tluir iiorned heads id cross into the territory under present consideration, so 1 am savnl from puzzling mysjif and mv readers with their diagnosis. The true al pest) is is foiuid during summer in tiie region lu- tween the (lulf of St. Lawrence and Greenland west to lIudsDr. Bay, and in winter .south to about latitude 35\ It is (piite comnmu along tile New I'aigland shores \ihile migrating and in winter. The PK.\nui; 11okni:o L.vkk ('J. alpesiris praticola^ is a snialf r bird with very gray back ; line over eyes white; c\\\w pale yellow. Tills race is found in summer along the upper .Mississi])pi valji v and (-reat Lake region, eastward si)arin,i;ly to Montreal. \'enii(i::i. and Long Island. It is resident over the greater portion of is range, but some few winter south to the Carolinas and Te.xas. le approach of and wood)' dis- I the Arctic Sea. md warl:)ling as uirope. '• The ' soars into tlic his mate, aii^l having at lh!^ Icvclopment of k to (K;al witii. large- lumihrr oi lornud licads !o so I am sa\nl gliosis. tile I'cgion ln- kvest to IhulMin s quite comiiKJii ! in winter. old) is a small .r \\\ pale yellow, ississij^pi valkv itreal. \'erm(M;i. ■ portion of ii> nd Texas. ,.-(iyr.!.i.v>'.ffv"'?' ; "■>J^-^X SKVI.ARK. Ai..Auj)A .\K\i:\.sr.s i»''""ic™r',?:.'i'°«:'^';''™'V"«'o:..<.i,vi 3-5; dull nrrav, 111,11 ■'^"!-iti>oHveb,own;o.95yo. 298 SINGIXG BIRDS. DICKCrSSKL. DLACK-TlIKOATEl) IJUNTING. Sl'lZA A.MKKICANA. riiAR. Male: above, gray brown, inidcUc of back streaked with black , uii\)c and side of head asii , crown oiivc streaked with duskv ; line over tiie eyes yellow; chin white; large -jaleh of black on throat; two wing-bars chestnut ; edge of wing yellow; below, white tinged with \el low; sides shaded with brown, l-'eniale : similar, somewhat smalKr; throat without patch, but with black spots ; less tinge of yellow on hnver parts. Length 6 to 7 inches. Ai'.r/. ( )n the i)rairie or in a field or jiasture or open scrubby wood'.;; placed upon the ground or in a bush or low tree, sometimes 10 to :o feet from ground; made of grass, weed-stalks, leaves, and roots, limd with line grass or hair. ■^A's"'- 4~5 ; P^l'-' greenish blue, unspotted ; o.So X 0.60. These birds arrive in Pennsylvania and New England fmm th-e South about the middle of May, and abound in the vi( inity of Philadeljihia, where they seem to jjrefer level fields, build m^ their nests on the ground, rhieOy of fine withered grass. '1 luv also inhabit the prairies of Missouri, the State of New Wnk. the remote northern regions of Hudson's Bay. and are not un- common in this jiart of New luigland, dwelling here, ho\ve\er, almost exclusively in the high, fresh meadows near the y:\\\- niarshes. Their song, simple and monotonous, accordiuLr to Wilson consists only of five notes, or rather two, the liist being repeated twice and slowly, the second thrice and rajiiilly. resembling /s/is/> isJiip, tslic fshc fs/ic. With us their call i:^ 7a 7/V — f./.7/. r two or thite y level fieM of le top of ^(iiiu 2 contintk tn our at a tniu'. ached wiiimtit ; and though harmonv. a'nl "-ly display any h„s,i,i„ ,„ ,„^, ^^'^ "-• 1-ginni,,,, ..f S.,„,„ i" , 7 ''-°"-' ""..., a,,,, „ il'>--'flooc- in„i,r. -I »>all colcopterons ins..,". :'^' '"•■'■'' "I'"" '-^crpi " '■■*°>-^- °f 'he """".« cankiCnn" ""'™'' "" """>■ ;;-"f i's;:, -tt;,:;;; r -^ K„„a„„, ,„„ , ■■■ '■-'■« ''>.'l- in so„U,.n, On,";." "" '- '"'""-■» '"""'l ^>"^^ "' ■" ' '-'"IS- ' '"■'- °' "s occuiTOicf oast of ,|,„ SNOW FLAKE. SNOW BUXTIXG. WHITE SNOW BIRD. 1';,!X."1R()I'HF.XAX XIVALIS. Char. In siimmci-, ])icvr\iliiig color wliitc ; middle of back, wings, and tail mixed with black. In antunin the dark color i.s extended, the l)l:ii.k being broadly margined with lawny brown, which gradually becomes white as winter advances. Length about 6^4 inches. yW.v"/. ( )n a barren hillside, under shelter of a rock or in a stone Ik;!)), sometimes in cavitv of a sand-bank; compactly built of dry grass, iilant stems, and moss, lined with feathers and hair. /f;';'.v. 4-6 ; dull white, with faint tint of blue or green, spotted, cliietly around larger end, with reddish brown and lavender : 0.90 X 0.65. This messenger of cold and stormy weather chiefly in- habits the higher regions of the Arctic circle, whence, as the severity of tl; winter threatens, they migrate indifferently owr Euro])e. eastern Asia, and the I'nited States. On their wa\ to the South they apjicar round Hudson Hay in Septeml)er, and stay till the frosts of November again oblige them to seek oiit warmer (juarters. l^arly in 1 )ecember they make their des' cnt SNOWFLAKE. 301 into the Northern States in whirling roving flocks, either im- iiudiately before or soon after an inunchiting fall of snow. Amidst the drifts, and as they accumulate with the blast, flocks of these ilhvars fo^cl. or bad-wcathrr birds, of the Swedes, like the spirits of the storm are to be seen tlilting about in restless and hungry troojjs, at times resting on the wooden fences, ihoiigh but for an instant, as, like the (H)ngenial Tartar hordes of their natal regions, they appear now to have no other (.ilijci t in view but an escape from famine and to carry on a general system of f(jrage while they ha])])en to stay in tlie vii inity. At times, pressed by hunger, they alight near the door of the cottage and approach the barn, or even venture into the out-houses in tjuest of dormant insects, seeds, or cninibs wherewith to allay their hunger ; they are still, how- ever, generally plump and fat, and in some countries much esteemed fe)r the table. In fine weather they apjjcar less rest- le^>, somewhat more familiar, and occasionally even at this season they chant out a few unconnected notes as they survey tlie ha])pier face of Nature. At the per'ftd of incubation they are said to sing agreeably, but appear to seek out the most (jrsolate regions of the cheerless North in whit li to waste the sweetness of their melody, unheard by any ear but that of their mites. In the dreary wastes of dreenland. the naked Lapland .\lj.>, and the scarcely habitable Si)it/.bergen, bound with eter- nal ice, they pass the season of re[)roduction seeking out the fi^iues of rocks on the mountains in which to flx their nests aheut the month of May or June. A few are known to breed in the alpine declivities of the White Mountains of New IhiMipshire. The nest is here fixeil on thi.' ground in the shelter of low bushes, and formed nearly of the same materials as that of the Common Song S])arrow. At times they proceed as far south in the United States as the State of Nfaryland. They are here generally known by the name of the White Snow IMrd, to distinguish them from the more common dark-bluish Spnrrow, so called, 'i'hey vary in their color according to age and season, and have ih/ays a great predominance of white in their [)lumage. 302 SINGING BIRDS. The Snow Huntings arc seen in spring to assemble in Nor- way and its islands in great numbers ; and alter a stay of abuui three weeks ihey disappear lor the season, and migrate across the Arctic Ocean to tiie farlhesl known land. On their return in winter to the Scottish Highlands their Hocks are said to \>- immense, mingling, by an aggregating close llight, almost inij the tbrm of a ball, so as to present a very fatal and successtul mark for the fowler. 'I'hey arrive lean, but soon become fit. In Austria they are caught in snares or tra])s, and when IkI with millet become ecjual to the (Jrtolan in value and llaxur. When caged they show a very wakeful disposition, instantly hopping about in the night when a light is j)roduced. Imliil- gence in tiiis constant train of action and perpetual watchful- ness may periia])s have its intluence on this species, in the selection of tiieir breeding j^laces within the Arctic regions, where tor months they continue to enjoy a perpetual day. 'l"he food of these birtls consists of various kinds of sicds and the hnvve of insects and minute shell-fish ; the seed^ vi aquatic plants are also sometimes sought by them, and I hiw found in their stomachs those of the A'///'/>/(/, species of /'-/r- }^oiiiii/i, and gravel. In a state of confinement they shell .md eat oats, millet, hemp-seed, and green peas, which they sidii, They rarely perch, and, like Larks, live much on the ground. This harbinger of winter breeds in the northernmost ot the .American islands and on all the shores of the continent fnmi Chesterfield Inlet to Hehring's Straits. The most southerly ui its breeding stations in America, according to Richardson, i Southampton Island, in the 62d parallel, where Captain 1 yon! found a nest, by a strange fatality, placed in the bosom of tin exposed corpse of an lOscpiimaux child. Well clothed an; hardy l)y nature, the Snow Hunting even lingers about the fort; of the fur countries and open places, picking up grass-sccii- until the snow becomes deep. It is only during the niiMith; of December and January that it retires to the soutli\v,ir;| of Saskatchewan, and it is seen again there on its ritii:: as early as the middle of February, two months after whi' it arrives in the 65th parallel, and by the beginning of .M.iy SNOWl'LAKE. 303 ble in Nor- way of aboil I grate across their retuni re said to ^ " , aimost in' • x\(\ successlul a \)ccoi\ie fat. and when ud ue and Uavuv. lion, instanily luced. indul- „.uia\ vvatchlui- species, in ^i^e Arctic regions. )ctna\ day. kinds of s^-^'^' ,h -, the seed^ >.t hem, and 1 i^-v. I species of ^'''"■ L they shell ana jwhich they >V^>^' on the ground. thernmost ot ^1^^ .e continent Woui iiwst southerly oi to Richardson, i> :re Captain I. v()i>^ the bosom ottte ^Vell clothed aii. .rs about the fort: ,, up grass-scca^. luring the montn- ito the soutlAv^u. l,.re on its ^^^': „nths after whi- grinning of M-^) • has penetrated to the coast of the Polar Sea. At this period it kcds ui)un llie buds of the i)urplc saxifraj^^e {SuA/j/di^d ('/-/"(o/- //j('//(i)f one of the most early of the Arciu; i)laius. As the Snow Jlunling sometimes begins to visit the riiited Stales in October, it appears jjrelty certain that some ot' liiese liinl;, breed almost, if not ipiile, within the norlhern limits of the L nion ; and as staled elsewhere, a nest has been I'wuiid luMT the rocky smnmii of the \\ iiite Mountains oH \ij\v ll.iiipshire. I 1k' Snow liunting is usually restricted in summer to the higher l.iiiuides, . — from Labrailor and the (ireat Slave Lake region to the .\n tie Ocean, — but an occasional tloek is seen farther southward, and nests have been taken in the Wldle Mount. uiis and at .Spiing- lirld. >hiss. Mr. A. Hagerup, who saw considerable of this bird whrn in (lit inland, w^-ites to me that the song is a sweet and ])leasing iiulndv. though rather disconnected, "delivered in short stan/as." '• W.irbling," he adds, "is perhaps the lOnglish worii best suited to dLsiribc its character." f-*- .--,,. LAPLAND LONOSl'UR. CAI.CAKirS I,.\I'1'()N1CUS. Char. Above, brownisli lilack. the fcatlicrs edged with dull luKi, wing-feathers with dull b;iy ; head and throat rich black (femali mw young have the crown same as l)ack) ; line from eyes and down sitiL ■: throat, white ; band of bright ciiestnut across hind-neck; tail with panh'- of white on outer feathers ; below, dull white, breast and sides ni.iiki- with black; bill yellow, tipped with black; legs and feet black. I. en,;!: about 6'4 inches. ,\'('.f/. In swampy moorlands, amid deep moss or tiift of grass, "i ,• the l)ase of a mound ; composed of grass, plant-stems, roots, and iii'i--. lined with feathers or deer's hair. /',';';vj'. -{-7 ; p;de grayish brown or reddish brown, marked with ili: brown ; o.So X o.Oo. This species genemlly inhal)its the desolate Arctic regioiiM' both continents. In the United States i\ few stragglers froiv. the greater body show themselves in winter in the remote nm: LAPLAND LOXOSI'UR. 305 ■rn ¥■ iiiist'ttlud jtarts of Maine, Michigan, and the Northwestern TerritoricH. Large Hocks also at times enter the Union, and contrary to tiieir ustial practice of resting anhy fields, and the nest is thickly and loosely constructed of moss and grass, and lined with a few feathers and deer's h:iir. The Longs])ur, like the Lark, sings only as it rises in the air, in which, suspended aloft, it utters a few agreeable and mrloiliouM notes. ted with duU l.un. 1 black (fcmnle .uu: and cl' : and sides i.>.r.U; feet bUick. Lr,o . tuft of grass "V.v I,,, roots, and u>u-. L, marked witl' a.r. 1 Arctic regi>'n^^'' |v stragglers frov: the reniote aiv. The Longspur occurs in winter in South Carolina. Kentucky, and Kansas, tliougli it is not common south of al)out 40^. Of its song Mr. Ilagerup writes to me: "It sounds l)est when tile liird, after mounting up in the sky, drops slowly to the earth with extended wings. The song is not very long, hut lias a sweet, tlute-likc tone, and though the melofh' is attractive, it is almost mel- anclioly in its wild plaintivcness, — as, indeed, all the notes of this species are." XoTi:. — One example of the Cni:sT\rT-( oi.i.aki-d Loncisitk ^Cti: .in'i/s oniatiis) was captured in Massacluisutts in iSyf). The u.^iial range of this bird is limited to the Central Plains. — from Tlx's to tlie .Saskatchewan. SMirn's LoNGSi'UU {Ca/cariiis pictitsK which occurs in the in- terior, - breeding from the Great Slave Lake district to liie Arctic Ocean, — is found, in winter, in IlHnois. NOL, I. 20 r-' SCARLET TANAGER. PiRA\(;A ERN'l'HROMr.r.AS. Char. Male : scarlet, with black wini^s and tail. Female and yninig. above, olive; wings and tail dusky, tlic feathers (jdgecl with olive ; hi \<'\\\ greenish yellow. Length 7 to 7^^ inches. AI'.fA In a woodhind grove, sometimes in an orchard, placed near the extremity of a horizontal limb 10 to 20 feet from thu ground ; compix ' of twigs, roots, or shreds of bark, and lined with roots, sometimes wi'.i pinc-ncedles. •^C;".f' 3~5 (usually 4) ; dull white or with blue tinge, thickly marked. chiefly about larger end, with several shades of brown and lilac ; 0.93 X 0.65. This splendid and transient resident, accompanying fine weather in all his wanderings, arrives from his winter station in tropical America from the beginning to the middle of May, and extends his migrations probably to Nova Scotia as well as 1 Canada. With the shy, unsocial, and suspicious habits (ifhisj gaudy fraternity, he takes up his abode in the deepest irccxl SCARLET TANACiLK. 307 I Female and young, with c.Uve ; iHlow, [,„!, placed near ihc .rrouml; comi'-;' its, sometimes wi'.n ,ac, thickly nuvkcd. ,wu and lilac ; 0.9; companying t>n^^ winter stuti-n m middle of ^l'^}' Iscotia as well as lous habits ot li'^ le deepest i''c:c== of the forest, where, timidly flitting from observation, he darts tiom tree to tree Hke a flashing meteor. A gaiuly sylph, con- srious of his briUianc-e and the exposure to which it subjects liim, he seems to avoid remark, and is only si^liciious to be known to his immble mate, and hid fnjm all besides. He tiicrefore rarely approaches the habitations of men, unless ji rh;ii)s the skirts of the orchard, where he sometimes, how- v\i.r, builds his nest, and takes a taste of the early and inviting, tin High forbidden, cherries. Among the thick foliage of the tree in which he seeks sup- 1)1 Hi and shelter, from the lofty branches, at times we hear his almost monotonous tship ivifcc, tship-'idcc, or tshi'tkaiicv, tshu- /<x But besides these calls on the female, he has also diir- in.; ihe period of incubation, and for a considerable time after, a more musical strain, resembling somewhat in the mellowness of its tones the song of the fifing Baltimore. The syllables tn which I have hearkened api)ear like 'AV/ccrv 'auiit 'n:.'// icait, and 'joaii 'vchoK'it vca wait, with other addi- tiDiiN of harmony for which no words are ade(iuate. 'I'his pkasing and highly musical meandering ditty is delivered for hiiiirs, in a contemplative mood, in the same tree with his busy consort. If surprised, they flit together, but soon return to iheir favorite station in the spreading boughs of the shady oak or hickory. The song resembles that of the Red-eyed ^'irl.■o in its compass and strain, though much suj)erior, the ''icaif KHiit being whistled very sweetly in several tones and with emphasis, so that upon the whole, our J^innik^a may be considered as duly entitled to various excellence, being harmless to the farmer, brilliant in ])lumage, and liaimonious in voice. These birds only sojourn long enough to rear their single hrodii, which are here fledged early in July, leaving us already ;o8 SIN(.IN(i lilRDS. fi)r the South about the middle or close of Aucnist, or as soon as the young are well able to endure the taiiL^ui- of an extensive niif^'raiion in company with their parents. The female shows great solicitude for the safety of her only brood, and on an a])proach to the nest appears to be in great distress and appK hension. When they are released from her more immediaii; protection, the male, at fn'st caiuious anil distant, ninv attends and feeds them with activity, being altogether indifieri'iit to that concealment which his gaudy dress seems to require from his natural enemies. So atlacheil t(j his now interesting lirood is the Scarlet Tanager that he has been known, at all hazanU, to follow for half a mile one of his young, submitting to fei d it attentively through the bars of a cage, and, with a devotion which despair could not damp, roost by in the branches of the s:une tree with its prison ; so strong, indeed, is this innate anil ■ heroic feeling that life itself is less cherished than the desire of aiding and supporting his endearing progeny (^^'ilson). The food of the Scarlet 'lanager while with us con^i^t> chielly of wingc. j'niitting to f^^'l , with a devotion ; \,ranchcs of the is this innate an^l [ than the desive iy (Wilson). with us con^i-ts and Nvild \>ees, as shelly tribes; it „a is particnlarly [which the season begins to nionlt, Ihe greenish hvay Ive us ; and havnw \\ \)y this humble' rnal renewal, au'l at this time oc> a- Iv autumn, or with Uhers in scattered this Eastern T'o^ sparingly along tb \ valley of the .. Quebec and n' i.'.- e West Indies an- lie Sl-.MMER TA\A(.i:u. .yy summf:r 'I'.\\.\(;i:r. SUMMKK Ki;i) i;iKl). I'IKANCA Kn;K\. ••UAU Mai.: rich vun.ilinn. .lulk, al„.vc.. Female and v.-nn- • almvu, dull ohvc; bcluw, dull bull. Lcn^mli abuut 7;^ inLJics AoA Ou the cdt;c ..I an „,,ui giuvc or by a roadside, i.hucd laar tl... extremity ol a h..n/outal lin.b, con.pnsed ol grass, leave>, au.l veuc l.iljic lihre, lined with grass. ° Avs-. J-.l; I>ii,t;lit green. s..n.etiuies with a tinge of blue, spoiled, ehielly near the larger end, with various shades of brown and I'uri.le • 0.1J5 X 0.O5. ' ' ' litis l.rilliant and transient resident, like the former species, P :>>.cs the greatest jiart of the year in tropical America, whence' m his gaudy nnplial suit he presents himself witli his humble iii.ite in the Southern Slates in the latter end of April or by the 1st of May. In Pennsylvania these birds are but rarvly seen, though in the warm and san.ly barren forests of New jersey several i)airs may usually he observed in the course of eurv season ; farther north they are unknouii, ceding those remnns ai)paremly to the scarlet si)ecies. They are not con- li'H.l to any particular soil, though often met with in bushy, harrin tracts, and are consequently common e\-en to the west of the Mississii)pi, in Lotiisiana and the Territory of Arkansas, as well as Mexico ; they also breed near the i)anks of that river arotmd Natchez. Ihe nest is built in the woods on the low, horizontal ])ranch "I a tree, often in an evergreen 10 or 12 feet from the ground. h"th parents assist in inctibation, and the voung are fledged hy the middle or latter end of June. Thev onlv raise a siiigle l'ro.H| in the season, and towards the middle or close "of All-list the whole ])arty disapiK\ar on their way to the Sotith, tli'-uuh the young remain later than the old and more restless birds. The note of the male, like that of the Baltimore Bird, is said to be a strong and sonorous whistle, resembling the trill or 310 sixc;l\g uikds. musical shake on the fife, and is frequently repeated, 'llu- note of the fema'e is a chattering, and appears almost like tin rai)iil pf-onunciation of tshicky-tiikky-tiik, tshicky-ttikky-tuk, and is chietly uttered in alarm when any person approaches tlu vicinity of her nest. From the similarity of her color to thr foliage of the trees, she is, however, rarely seen, and is usuallv mute ; while the locpiacity and brilliance of the male render him. as he flits timidly and wildly through the branches, a niu^t distinguished and beautiful object. 'I'he i(U)d of !he Sununer Red Dird is very similar to that ( f the preceding species; bugs, beetles, ^nd stinging bees make part of his re])ast, as well as flies and cynips of various kinds, afliT which he often darts about until hindered by the ap- l)roach of night. The late suppers are jM'obably necessary, f'-'in the almost nocturnal habits of some of these insed tribes. After the jieriod of incubation, and until their dc] ii- ture. whortleberries and other kinds of berries form no im nn. siderable part of the ftjod of these birds. I'liis species docs not occur rcnularlv north of New Jcimv, southern Ohio, and soulliern Illinois. Occasionally st'agtilei.^ iic found in Connecticut and .Massachusetts, and two cxami)lcs Imw been taken in New Brunswick, one in Nova Scotia, four iKii Montri.'al, and one at Hamilton. Ont;uio. Xori--. — (^ne si)ccinien of the Loi'isi.WA T.WAOFK (/VV.- iinf'i'i'hiaihi) a Western species — has been taken in Xew i. land. It was shot near Lynn in i.S/S. INI) ICO IJUNTINr,. Passi:ri:;,\ cvaxi'.a. Chak. Male ; ■ndi^o liltie, inlcnsc on head and throat, nihcr tinged witli green; Mack liai- fioni bill to eyes; wings dull browi edge of teatlicrs tinged with dull blue. Female: alxne, browh ; 1 much ]iaKr. wiih daik streaks. Length about 5'2 iuchcs. iVrsf. (hi the margin of a meadnw or counlry road, or in an ■ or garden, in a bush or low trc', [ilaccd in an upright crolcii ; a I ti;; INDIGO liUNTIXG. II ated. '1"^^^' t)st lilvc ilu- ';ky-tiik, anil troacbes tin- color to tl'.C nd is usu;illv male reivU'i nches, am*-t Wax to that if ur bees niakf varioi^^s k\n'i>. ..(1 \)y the .'V- b\y nccessiiiA. ,f these in^r.i i; iheir (lei^r- form nu in*>'»- of New Jev>cy, Uy slra.uii^evs arc ) c>:am\)les luivc fccotia, four uc^^r ton in New l-";;- lthvo;\t, other v L,v< iluU brow;!, live, brown; '"" Ihcs. l\, or in .in ■ > '' Tht crotcVi ; a ■' I hnnsy and bulky affair of twigs, stems, grass, etc., lined witii tine grass, etc., sometimes with liorsc-hair. K^xs. 4-5; while, sometimes witii iiliie or green tint, occasionally with ,1 few line spots uf purplish brown; 0.75 X O.55. This very bcatitifiil and rather familiar messenger of summer, iftcr passing the winter in tropical America, towards the 15th iif May, decked in his brilliant azure livery of the mii)tial sea- Miu, again joyfully visits his natal regions in the Middle Stales; and about a week or ten days later his lively trill in the garden, orchard, or on the top of the house, its chimney, or vane, is first heard in tliis part of New England. Still later, acconipa- jiicd by lis mate, he passes on to Nova Scotia, and jirobalilv to the precincts of Labrador. After raising and training their only brood in a luiiform and more humble dress, the whole fnnily, in color like so many common Sparrows, bi'gin to retire to the South from the first to the middle of September. Tluy are also known in Mexico, when', as well as in the S .ulliern States to the ])eninsula of Florida, they breed and |i.is> the stimmer as with us. 'I'here is reason, Iiowe\(.'r. to luheve that they are less abundant, if seen ai all. to the west of the Mississi SLNCilXC i;iRI)S. cunfiiu'd to the cool and animatint; dawn of morning, but il is renewed and still more xi^orous during the noon- day ileal i.)f sinnmer. 'I'his lively strain seems composed of a re|)eli- tion of short notes; connnencing loud and rajiid, and dien, slowly fdling, they descend almost to a whisper, succeedeil by a silent interval of about half a minute, when the song is again continued as before. The most connnon of these vocal expres- sions sonnds like ,*//<■ /s//i- Ishc — tsltv tslicc Islu'u' — /she tshc tslu\ The middle syllables are uttered lispingly, in a ver\ peculiar manner, and the three last gradually fall; sometimes the song is varied and shortened into tslua tslua tslua (shrili. the last sound being sometimes doubled. This shorter song is usually nttered at the time that the female is engaged in the cares of incubation, or as the brood already a])pear, and when too great a display of music might endanger the rclirnig security of the family. l'"rom a young or imperfectly moullni mnle.on the smnmit of a weeping-willow, [ heard the following singularly lively syllables. V/-' V/r '//(■ / be steadily looked at or hearkened to with visililc attention, in the next instant he is off to seek otit some securer elevation. In the village of Cambridge I have seen one "f these azure, ahiiost celestial musicians, regularly (hant to ihe inmates of a tall dwelling-house from the summit of the chim- ney or the point of the forked lightning-rod. I have also heard a Canary, within hearing, rejieat and imitate the slowly lis])ing trill t)f the Indigo llird, whose warble indeed olun greatly resembles that of this si)ecies. The female, bef'iv hatching her brood, is but seldom seen, and is then scarci ly distinguishable from a conniion Snarrow ; nor is she ever to be ohserved beyond the humble bushes and weeds in which ^\\t connnonly resides. The nest of our l)ird is usually built in a low bush partly < ii- coaled by rank grass or grain ; at times in the forks of a yo ii,4 orchard tree lo or 12 feet from thj ground. I have also - rii one suspended in a complicated manner in a trelli>cd gi,;|n.- ning, bill it oi a rci)0U- , and th^n, u-.cccilcil li\ ;ong is a;j,ain ■or,al cxpi'-^- • — ts/i(' A//'' y, in a vci\ ; somcliuus /s/i('(' fs/i/>''- shorter s^julz IS c:n;j;aL!;eil m y appear, ami or the reliniiLi foctly mouU^'i I the following .■ated at short view, the huU' t any snrpvi>^'. to with visible it some securer e seen one "f V (-hant to ilie it of the chini- 1 have al>o ilate the slmvlv indeed otu:n female, before s then scanvly she ever to be Is in which >he ,nsh partly con- forks of a young It have also seen irL-lli^ed gnii'e- ' \'i nc. Ifleft undi IXDICKj IJL'\TI.\(i. stuilx-(I, they often build in il 3^3 or orcliard lor se\oral successive y le same Lranl en nes t IS suspended betwixt two t ears. ^Vhen in a bush, the !.% i)assing up on either .sidi . U-rnally . ,s composed of coarse sedye-grass. some withered K-.nes and hned with fine stalks of the sanu, and the slende l-a.r- ke tops of the bent-,rass (-/...//o. with a u^t p-wdKurs ; though so.netimes they make a sul.tantial lin n^ o f '-. ' ---t whtch r saw in the vuK. was composed ou -nlly o, eoarse strips of hass-mat, weeds, and .L strings ■■'1-1 up u. the ganlen, ami hned with horsedKur a,,d a fe^ OS o bent-grass. The young here seareelv leave the nes ''-:»- the end of July or the first week ,n August, and 21 ra.s.MtsuaIlyln.t a single bnKHl in the season. They appu "•>l-u- great timidity about their nest, and often readily fo;. -!-■ U u-hen touched, or when an egg is ahstracte.l. Th.ir "-.'I note of alarm when themselves or their ^„un.^ .re ''l'!'-;''Hed ,s a sharp ,.M., ...j.-kly and anxioudv repeated --nhhng ahnost the striking of two pebbles. They will not' '-ke the.r young, howev.r rca.ly they .nay h. to ,vli,„,,n.h Hnr eggs; and they have been known to fl^d their hn.od ^e.T fmhAtlly through the bars of a cage i,i uhich they were Tin-sspeaes_,s a common .summer resident f,-om So„,I. c-a.olina ,;;■'"' f\^;;"^ .^'"^ ^'^^ ^'^>- «f Qi'^'^^c, and westu..,d th-,u "h l..no an.I Ill.no.s to the G.eat Plains. It also onurs ore as.'or ally.., caste.-n .Maine and the Maiatime I'.ovinccs X,„K One example of the Vahihu HiNr.xo ( /',^f wr/;,,, ■-^:^"/'>r)h:,, been captured in .southern Miehi-an. Its u. 'ah.Ut ,s the valley of, he Kio,;,-a„de and I.uue,-C.d,fo,-nil 314 SINGING IHRDS. PAINTED BUNTING. NONPAREIL. P.VSSERINA CIRIS. Char. Male: head and neck purplish blue ; eyelids red; back yellow- ish yreen ; rump ])urplish red ; wings dusky, glossed with green and ri ; ; tail purplish brown; below, vermilion. Female: above, pale ulive ; Lc- low, dull buff. Length 5^4; to ^yi inches. A't'sf. In a thicket of low bushes; compactly made of twigs, roots, shreds of bark and grass, lined with line grass or horse-hair, or fine routs. /''i,Xs. 4-5 ; dull white, or with blue tint, marked chiefly around lai-ti end with purplirh and reddish brown ; o.So X 0.60. This splendid, gay, and docile bird, known to the Ameri(:;ins as the Nonpareil, and to the French Louisianians as the /^A', inhabits the woods of the low c(juntries of the Southern Stairs, in the vicinity of the sea and along the borders of the laircr rivers, from North Carolina to Mexico. It arrives from its tropical quarters in Louisiana and deorgia from the mii'.ille to the 3 0th of .\pril ; but impatient of cold, retires to the South early in October, and is supposed to winter about Wra Cruz. For the sake of their song as well as beauty of pliuii- age, these birds are commonly domesticated in the houses uf the l-'rench inhabitants of New Orleans and its vicinity; and s(jme have sticceeded in raising them in captivity, where pK iity of room was allowed in an aviarv. '1 hev are familiar alsn in the gardens and orchards, where their warbling notes an- al- most peqietually heard throughout the summer. 'I'heir >)n.' much resembles that of the Indigo I5ird, but their voi( r ij more feeble and concise. Soon reconciled to the cage, ihoy will sing even a few days after being caught. Their food i'i>n- sists of rice, insects, and various kinds of seeds; they ci'llat also the grains of the ripe figs, and, frequenting gardens, Imiiil often within a few paces of the house, being partici.lirly attache* I to the orangeries. Their nests are usually made in the hedges of the oran^f. or on the lower branches of the same tree, likewise occasiiMiall; in a bramble or thornv bush. In the mildest climates in >' hi' : WIIITE-CROWXEl ) SPARROW. 315 d ; back yellow- i nriccn and v> ; ; , pule olive ; 1^^;- of twigs, ro.'., ^air,ol-ftncr(M.t^. ;rty around lai-,Li , the Amefu :ins ins as the /''/'''> Southern Suius, rs of the lavier arrives irom it^ from the nVuMlc a, retires to the nter about V^-^^ beauty of r^"-'^^" [in the houses d its vicinity ; -'n*! '•itv,\vhererhr.iy , famihar also in iin,cr. 'ri^^i^ ^'"^:^ |ut their voice is to the cage, ibcy 1 Their food con- eds; they c<'lU'''« ]vj; gardens, '"i'''' .elng particv.l.irly 1 of the oran'i'- wise occasiona'lv they pass the summer, they raise two broods in the season. I'hey are commonly caught in trap-cages, to which they are sometimes allured by a slut'fed bird, which they descend to ;itiack ; a id they have been known to survive in domestica- liun for upvv'ards of ten years. Tills .species is coninioii in tlie Soutli Atlantic and (iulf States, and has been taken north to southern Illinois and .Xorlli Carolina. Note. — The GKASS(ji"n' {I'.ucthcia hitolor) and the Mia.o- !)i(i(s Gkassouit (luietltcia caiiora) — both West India birds - liave been taken in southern Florida, though they are merely accidental wanderers there. ■liiiiates m NVhi'. W H ITE-C ROWX E D SP. \ RROW. Zf»X( HRU I IIA I.IX'CtirilRVS. Char. Upper parts Ijiown, streaked with brownish black, dull bay, ami ]ialc ash; crown white, bordered by bands of lilack, lines ui black aiil white from eyes to hind neck; wings with two while bars ; lielow, dark a- h, whitening on throat and belly; flanks shaded with bnnvn. Length a'xiut 7 inches. ,\",r/. In an open woodland, on the ground or in a low bush, — usually concealed in grass at the foot of a bush ; firmly made of dried gra-s 'incd with fine grass, — sometimes with deer's hair or feathers, or muts. /■',^\'s. 4-6; greenish white or bluish white thickly spotted with rcd- i!l>-h brown ; 0.90 X o 65. i'his rare and handsome species is very little known in any part of the I'nited States, a few stragglers only being seen aho'it the beginning of winter, and again in May or earlier, on tluir way back to their Northern breeding-places, in the fur conutries and round Hudson's ikiy, which they \isit from the South in May, and construct tlieir nests in June in the vicinity of Albany h'ort and Severn River. These are fixed on the gn '•111,1^ or near it, in the shelter of the willow-trees which tlu \ Lj,lean, probably with ir.any other birds, for the insects wh;. h frequent them. 3i6 SINGING lURDS. At this season the male sings in a loud, clear, musical, but rather plaintive tone, the song consisting of six or seven notes : these he repeats at short intervals during the whole day. C)n the 13th of April, irobable that they princi[)ally winter in the Canadi.m provinces, otherwise, as i)assengers farther scnith, they wonM be seen more abundantly in the United States than they arc Indeed, as they approach this part of New lCnglanear in irregular numbers at anv given locality. It breeds in northern Maine and New T5run.s- wick, and north to sub-arctic regions. Nests have been found .iLso in \'crniont and New ^'ork. Tlie birds are met with in winter t'nim southern New luiLrland southward. musical, bul seven notes ; jle day. C)n oecies amonu er California, x- that of any notes of tlu- in September. the Canadian th, they woulil than they are nirland only in Nt)\ ember aii'l I sliort ual, is seeds of ■^\\ evidently c->' birds frequent the prairie gr. tnds. and seldom if ever ali:,Mt on trees; they sing sweetly, and, like the I.arks, have th e ii Mr.'l ibit of continuing their notes whik on th e wintr. ownsend observ es drcd miles of the I'Inttc plain ^':ink, of the Coliimbi This species hihabits seventl hun- s in great nntnl)ers, as well as the biishi 1 Ri\er. ft generally afferts the 1 OW of wormwood (Ar/cm/s/a), from the' summit of whicl 1^ 318 SINGING BIRDS. it pours forth a variety of pretty notes." At the commence- ment of the pairing season the males are very pugiuuious, figiiting often on wing, and the c:on(iuering rival, rejjairing to the nearest bush, times his lively \n\)c in token of success. Tlie Lark- I''iiu;Ii is comnion along tlie Mississippi valley north Im Iowa ami soutlicrn .Michigan. It has been taken occasional! v i^i Manitoba and in Ontario, and a few cxanipk's luivc appeared ii New luigland. It is said to be the linest songster of the Xoitli American Sparrows, wiirri'-riiROATED sparrow. PE.\I30DV UIRI). 0[.l)-T()M-ri:.\l!()DV. /oNolKKlllA AI.DKOI.l.lS. Chak. ISack straiictl, reddish brown , black and chdl luff; sides uf head, breast, and rump asliy; crown with median stri])e of while bnrdeiil by stripes of black; stripes of ye!U)W from bill to eyes; stripes of white over eyes; stripes of black thrtnigh eyes; throat wliite, ijordcred liv black; belly white, the sides shaded with brown; wings with two white bars. Length GVz to 7 inches. A^i'sf. In an okl meadow or open woodl.ind, or on the edge of a grir, c ; placed on the ground upon a cushion of moss; composed of grass, stems, roots, etc., lined witli fine grass or roots, — sometimes with hair or feathers. AsX''''- 4-5! P-ile greenish blue, thickly marked with several shade.^ of reddish brown ; 0.85 X 0.60. These large and handsome Sparrows are seen in this jxiri of Massachusetts only as transient visitors at the approach of winter, or in sjjring about the first week in May. In \hv Middle and Southern States they pass the inclement sea-Hi. and appear there as a numerous species. A flock has ln-cr, observed in the State of New York in the month of Janu.uy. In their hibernal resorts they are seen in bands, and show ;i predilection for thickets, swamps, small streams, and the bor- ders of ponds, where, among the tall and bleaching wei^ds, they continue to collect the seeds, and i')roba1)ly insect l,irv>e, which constitute their usual fare. While here they keep iiiiifli on the ground, and seek out cool and shady situations, sciiiich- wiirri:-Tiiia)Ari:i) siakkow. 319 rc\>ainng i" ^Ucvnovtl^ 1- cciisionaUy i" oi the NoiUi of Nvliivc \)c.vuota ,biic, bovdeicd by ,gs vvilh two NVI'AC ;,,a of grass stc.ns .imcs Nvilh luuv o, h several shadc> of ini; up ihc fallen leaves in quest of wijinis ami other insects, ami are at this time often very unsusi)icious, allowiny a near aiiproach \vith(Mit betraying any alarm; but when in large no( ks, they move about in timorous haste as soon as ap- proached. About the 15th of April they lea\e the Miildle States, and retire to the high northern latitudes to breed, ha\- iiiLj been seen in I^abrador, Newfoundland, and the fur coun- tru s up to the 66th parallel in sunuuer. At the period (if lnviding the male sings with c(jnsiderable energy and meKnl)- alu ady in the early spring ; also before their departure to the North, on fine mornings, they are heard to whisi)er forth a kw swret and clear notes, as in a revery of the approaching hap- liiiu^s of their more lively and interesting comlition. Tills Si)arrow — known 10 tiie country people of the I'^ast as tlie •i'raliody bird" — breeds al)undaiitly in tiie norlliern jjortions uf Ww \'ork and New JCngland as well as in the Maiitinie l'r()\iiiccs; anil at the west in northern Miciiigan mu] .Manitoba. Two nests liave been discovered in Ahissacluisetts. The bird winters from southern New England southward. 'i'lic song, which is loud and sweet, is familiar in the district wIkiv the birds l)uild. for they sing all day long, and are often liL-anl (luring the niglit. It lias been interpreted /6'(?-/'''''-A''''^'''6'" pcabody-pedbodyj hence the name. In in this pan >'i Ihe approach ol In May. 1'^ ^^^^ Inclement sea-'", Hock has \'c^>^ Louth of Vanu:ny. Inds, and show a Ims, and the bor- Ibleaching ^v^ '^~' ]d)\v insect i;"V.c , they keep uuiA Ituations, scratch- m "•/. y*v,*./«. Vv^^^^J^^ i.^ liUNTIXG. I'lXHJ.KI KS CkA.Ml.MA S. CllAK. Alxive, yclli)wi>li Ijrown, stitiikcd with darker; line over and aroiuul eyes, wliitc ; sliutildcr clicstiuit or hay; two white bars on wiiii; ; two outer tail-feathers paitlv wliitc ; below, white with l;)Lirfy tiiii^c; l^n ,i^t and sides streaked with brown. Length about fi'4 iitihes. A(,.7. In a lleld,()ld meadow, open pastm'c, or roadside, on the grnniul, — usually hidilen by liif't offjjrass or under a low busli; conijioscd of j^iass and roots, and lined with fine grass, sometitnes with hair. /'.';■■;■>■. 4-6; gravish white, soiiietinies with ureen or pink tint, thitkly marked with several .shades of brown; oSo X 0.60. This i>lain-lo()kini:( ImiicIi chiefly frequents (hy pastures ;iii(l meadows, and is often seen ])er(he(l on tlie fences and in orchard trees ; it also often approaches the public roads ;iiiil gathers its subsistence tamely from various S(jurces. il is abundant in all the States east of the Alteghanies, where ni.inv ]-»ass the whole year ; yet great numbers also winter in the south- ern iKirts of tlie Lhiion, proceeding as far as the maritime districts of deorgia and Florida. I'Vom the beginninu ii April to the beginning of June, the males sing with a clear iiiii agreeable note, scarcely inferior to that of the ('anary, tho'ich less loud and varied. On their first arrival, as with the Smij Sparrow, their notes are often given in an imder-tone of con- siderable sweetness. Their song begins at early dawn, amli- again peculiarly frequent after sunset until dark, when, t'")ni VKSF'KR SI'ARI. ()\V \e I'lNG. kcr ; line over and vhiic bins nn win;^; , buffy tiiii^c ; bn .ist side, on the prouiul, composed of ;j,i -iss „- pink tint, tbi-kly Ivy pastures and fences ami in public roads ami sources. ^ i> nies, where ui my inter in the south- as the maviiime he beginning "' with a clear ami ,c Canary, tlv.n-h as with the S""^ ider-tone of > oii- arly dawn, aivl i- lark, when, t-oni the fence of some clcvati'd 321 iKisturc-fic'ld, in th :"""'•;""■""■«•"">" -"K--S have ,v,;,: : ■ ni^s .-,,,,,rr.„v. „„„.■ tl,a„ „s„all). >vak,-f„l, „■„■,■ . ,il>.,„, ,'1, , — - -"«, n,.ar ,„ ,1,. ,;,vu,i,c ,,,.,. whuv |,„ ,„.„ "-'■l-«-. ^...lHSsilnul,„„, as, h. la,, ,,>.,,,-,,,,,,;;' :'" ";"-'' ;■■""' "-■ ;'"*>• i."n.,„, „.. ,,..„ a- ......a e ,: , i .«,.,K..sl,L.„,l.,la,„lvara,l.a,,l,.. ,„, „„ ,;„:': '• •i- M„„,k., n,„„, ,,,„si„., I„„ a,,v,.al,,. ,|i„;. ■,,,,' '"'7'""' ■""■"■l,lH,l,a„ll,i.tos,; ran al,.n,,l„. .„■„„■„, "I 'lilsliil.t; ,l„a„M.hvs a,„l l,a»ki„., i„ ,|,., ,,,„,,„ '■ '"'"' IVi"K nearly svdauary, tl,.,v ,-ai.. ,a„l,al,l, „.„.al ,„■ , " 'ic MMS„„. S„,„..„,n« „.|,.„ s,a„,.,l ,•„„„ ,1,, „„, „,, l.-,n:n. s„,,„|a,cs laauaK-ss will, ,v,„arkal,l,. ,K,,„,,i„ „, ,,, >"'l"»- I lie y„„„R a,v ..a.ily rai*d IV,,,,, ,|,, „,„, ,,„, "■™. vn-,Ma,,,o, ,:l.a,,, a,,d .l„,,,„,i,, I,,,, ,-„,|i|, ;,,.,.^, wiih each other. ' '''""-' 'i'lK •■ i:ay-\vinc:od Uuntin- - of earlier writus w ,. ,nMu.l •• \- 1- ^pamnv •; by Wilson Kla,,. fron, its l,a!,i, ^ ,;!::' ,,,,:,: ;;;;y--^n^. ItI>ree ^"' .0 IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I IIM 12.5 ;• IM |||||Z2 7 12.0 1.8 1.25 1.4 1.6 ^ 6" — ► VI <^, el ^ ^^2' M. '/ /A Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY. 14S80 (716) 872-4503 ss-bars, below, whitt.: breast, sides of throat, and sides of body spotted with brown, the -put; forming a " patch " on the breast. Length 6 to GYi inches. ^\1'.f/. In a field or open pasture, amid a tuft of grass or under a jnu bush, sometimes fastened to bush or vine, occasionally placed in a cavit in a tree ; composed of twigs, grass, roots, and leaves, lined with ;;ra.v- and roots, or hair. Aft'-'"- .3-7 (usually 4 or 5) ; dull white or with tint of green, blue, or pink, thickly marked with several shades of brown occasionally u:.- spotted ; o.So X o 60. This familiar and almost domestic bird is one of the most common and numerous Sjiarrows in the United States ; it i; also, with the Bluebird, which it seems to accompany, one of the two earliest, sweetest, and most enduring waiulcrj, SONG Sl'ARKUW. 323 Town bay, strcake ] bvoNvn edged u ah Lis, below, Nvl"^^-' \h broNVU, the ^V"^^ tchcs. trass or under a 1"^^ V placed \n a cav.u Zl lined with gva. L of green Ivn occ •casionally "'" L oiie of the m.>t Tiited States ; it i- , rxccon^pany, ov>^ pnduring wai'^*^^^=' Though many pass on to the Southern States at the commence- iiK nt of winter, yet a few seem to brave the colds of New luigland as long as the snowy waste does n,in; nest. Hoth parents join in the duty of incubation, and altir nately feed each other while so engaged. Tht.s species nests from South Carolina to Lake Mistassiiii. ai. from Centra! Ohio and northern Illinois to Lake W'innipiL;. i: arrives at .St. John, N. 15., during the second week in .April in i" mensc riocks. and is usually accompanied by similar Hocks c Robins and Jiincos. Occasionally a few winter in the Mariti::. Frovinces and in Quebec, as well as in New England. rol si\- m'iI SAVANNA SrARRoW. 3 -'5 -arrow seems swaiiip^' ami awl hi^ visual situation.; arc misccUancous I to crowil \.\\c arc also < om- l, and gli'^ing -e ; and in tini i-i. I'hey t)fKn ng ; and sonic- ^rticularly wlnn : portion ol" tmc with horse-hair, as three hiooiS bed, in the Mul- of August, iii^y ig, keeping nj. at ;he destruction ot iiown the reinaiu- ,n, raise a soViiarv levoted affedion. ;o very clean, :in>l they do not n- ■r, not waniiiv^iv. jrooils in the >.inic Lbation, and lUn lake Mistassini. .v>. l-ikc \Vinnil)>'4- ' lock in April i""- similar tl.uks; ier in the Mantir. liglaud. SAVANNA Sl'AKkOW. GROUND Sl'.\Kk(i\V. AM.M()I)K.\Mr,S S.VXDWICIIKXSIS SAVANNA. CliAK. Above, strcakud with grayish brown, black, rufous, and grav ; line nvL-r tlio eyes and edges of wings yellow; crown with median stripe of Yellowish white ; line fmni hiwcr ni:uulil)lL' yi llowish white bunlLrcd bv brown; l)clow, white tinged with butf, breast and siiles streaked with brown and black. Length 5'i ineiics. AV.>/. In a salt-marsh or along a river l)ank, sonKtimes in a dry iiilind meadow, concealed by tall grass (jr tuft of weeds, composed nf grass, sometimes mi.xed with tine roots, and (Kcasiunally lined with hurse-hair. A,v>'. 3-6 ; variable in shape, size, and markings, usually d'lll wiiitc or with green tint, thickly spotted with dark brown, rich brown, and lilac. 070 X 0.55 This Sparrow, allied to the preceding, hut fir loss familiar, is (oimncjnly scon in this i)art of New- l-jii^Mand from A])ril to U( loher, migrating towards the South in severe weather, ihoui^h maiiv i)ass the whole winter in the Middle States In (leorgia and ^Vest Florida these birds are rather ntunerous in the cold season, migrating in cpiest of food probably from the ^\■est ; ami the whole species generally show a predilection for the warm and sheltered vicinage of the sea, where the seeds and ii^ci ts they feed on are most abtmdant. On their first arrival ill Massachusetts they frequent the sandy beaches and shores of the bays in quest of Ciciiuhiir and other coleopterous iibe( ts which frequent such situations; and they are at this time exceedingly fat, though their moult is not yet completed. In summer this shy and timid species lives wholly in ])astures or L'riss fields, and often descends to the ground in quest of t'ooil. Its nest, also laid in the grass and made tjf the dry blades of the same, very similar to that of the Song Siiarrow, is usually built about the close of April. In the month of March, in (ieor^ii. I oliser\ed these S|iar- ri»\\s ill the open grassy jjine woolKs — is far from eorreet. I traced it up the valley of the St. John a> i,u as there were cleared fields or marshy meadows, and in no locality was it more abundant than at Fort Kent, — the most northern point of Maine. It occurs throughout the southern portions of Canada. The.se birds are rarely seen off the ground; an occasional ptich on a stone heap or a fence being the only deviation from this rulu. IPSWICH Sl'.ARRUW. A.MMODRA.MUS I'klNCKPS. . Char. General apjicarancc of a large pale Savanna Sparrow. Aliove. grayisl) Ijrown.cach t'catlicr streaked with I)lack and rufous ; crown >tri|)i dull buff or buffy white ; stripe over eyes similar hut jjaler ; wings bhicl; ish bnnvn, edged witli rufous ; tail lilackish brown tipped with wliiic, beneath, dull white tinged with buff; chest and sides streaked with brown. Length 6 to 6I4 inches. .Vt's/ and A^i^s. Unknown. This interesting bird was first described by Mr. C. J. Maynar! from a specimen taken l)y him at Ipswich, .Mass., in 1868. \-\<: two years the type remained unicpic, and for .several years later t'e species was supposed to be rare. It has since been found all aid! the Atlantic coast from ("icorijia to the (iulf of St. Lawrence, usually frequents the sea-shore or salt-meadows near by, though .Mr N. C. Hrown reports that he has seen it at Lake Umbagog, in': interior of Maine. I met with it in New Brunswick only for a t\ days diu-ing the early spring; its breeding place is farther tKirv When feeding on the sandy shore in company with other Spam- (the snow still covered the fields), it was not difficult to distinu'i; ■ the Ipswich from their congeners, but it is difllcidt to define: distinguishing characteristics. A nest and eggs supposed to he of this species are in the Natiiv Museum at Washington. They were taken on Sable Lsland. ' the coast of Nova Scotia: but the identificatioii is too doubtt'u!: permit of their being accepted without cpiestion. The nest a eggs are described as similar to those of the Savanna S])in the eggs being somewhat larger. \c Song S\>ar- ^\on'A the coa^l this m;vy J^l'l'b' y writers tU.u ii he saU-niav>lKs eSt.Johna>l.u ul in no h)^aliiy it norlhern poim ions o{ CanacUi. occasional inich n from this rule. u Sparrow. M^''^'^' rufous; crown Mvn. , 'tipped with whue; sides streaked vvn;> Mr. C. J. Maynav. ,lass.,miS68 - vcral years laU^;- i,een found all .a.' - [{ St Lawrence i near by, though M' kc Umbagog, m;: swick only for a t.^ ICO is farther nor. [with other Span-.- LricuUtodistnv^v.- lifticult to define ..areintheNat.v ion Sable Island. is too doublUil'l tion. The ne^t x^ ^ Savanna Sp.ui"^ BACHMAN'S SPARROW. slmmkk finch. Peuc^:a /V.s'iiv.\i,is hachmanii. Char. Above, rufous streaked with l)lack and ash; lines over the LVLS ash; edge of wing yeUow ; below, buff, .sides shaded with ash, breast with hrown. Length G'^. inches. .\ tship tship tship tship, then tsJic ch' tsW tsW ts'h ts'h. Some of these notes were as fine and lively as those of the Canary, — loud, echoing, and cheerful. 'I'he food of this species consists of grass seeds, coleoptera, and a variety of small berries as they come in season, 'liit' sexes are nearly alike in plumage. Tills species occurs in the (lulf States and north to South Caro- lina and soutluTn Illinois, but the vitinity of Charleston, S. C > the only locality in which it has been found in abundance. Wry little is known of its habits or of its distr'.bution. XoTi:. — The type of tliis species is larger and darker thin bachiiuDiii. It is restricted to southern Cieorgia and Florida, ami has been named the Pine Woous Si'Akkow {^Pcuava ccstivalis^ LIXCDl.NS SPARROW. LINCOLN'S riNCIL Mi;i,(>SI'l/.\ I.IN( niNl. Char. Above, sircakcil with liruwii, gray, and black; below, wliitt; band across the breast and on sides brownish yellow. Length a' "i' 5/-3 inches. Xcst. On the groinid, amid low bushes, along the skirts of niai-i' meadow, or on a dry grassy hillock in an open woodland: conipoM(! "t grass. E:^i:s. 4-5; pale green or Iniftish, — sometimes almost white, — \\\:k\C\ spotted and blotched with reddish brown and lilac ; o.So X 0.60. GRASSIIOIM'KR STAKKOW. 3^9 white. ^^^' whole year, March 1 »>\' •coas, on Ih^ ucUlenly sur ,^, if foUowea. ely "^ the lall ping, i^«^^ ^'^'" ////- ts/uY' is /up ^ese notes were i, echoing, ^i^^ :cds, coleorlera, n season, 'l'^^^ to South ear- th v.irkston, .i\)undancc. s. c. The habits of this horcal spfcii's, iliscovi'ix'd hv Auduhdii in Labrador, are very siniilar to those of die Soml; Sparrow. I, ike ii, luounted on the topmost twig of some tree or tall >,hMib, it (haiits fur hours together; or, (hving into the tlii( ket, it ho])s from branch to branch imtil it readies the ground in tiuest of it> tisiial fare of insects and berries. It moves off swiftly when watched, and if forced to take wing tlies low and with rapidity 1(1 some consideral)le (Ustance. It is met with usually near streams, in the sheltered valleys of that colil and desolate r^u'ion. liy the 4th of July the young had left tiie nest, and in August they had begun their migrations to the South. Speci- mens have been obtained by Mr. W. Cooper near New \ ork (ity, Lincoln's Finch is now considered less •• boreal "' in its distrihu- tinii tlian Xutlall and his contemporaries supposed, tor thou-h it li.is l)eei\ I'ouiul in Labrador and in the liigli An lie reL;ions ol the Wist, yet nests have l»ccn discovered in Xova Scotia, northern New ^'ork. and Wisconsin, as well as on the liiglur mountains (if tlir West down nearly to the Mexican border, it is a rare Ijird Hear tlie Atlantic, but is abundant along the Mississippi valley. \\iy and darker dun .,nd Florida, ami ^Uck;helo^v.wbitc; lu„w. Length .>•"■ Itbe skirt, of n-v^:^ loaiand; conip--> Iniost white, -tl-^k^y o.So X 0.60. GR.ASSIIOIM'KR SIWRROW. VI.l.LOW WIXGF.D SI'AKKDW. VEI.I.OW-WIXCKn liUNTI.NG. .Am.MOORAMI'S SAVANNARIM r\>^tRIM->. • iiAR. Above, streaked with lav, black, Initf, ami a-li ; cmwii Mack- i^li.with median line of i)iitY; lines over tlic eve bulT, lieiul nf wIdl; lui^lit \\l' >\\ : below, buff, shading to wliite on tliv iiellv. Lvni^tii al'Diit 5 incln ^. .W A Tn a field, concealed bv loni; grass; comiioscd of grass, lined with liorsc-hair. /•',;>■• 4-5 : white, spoiled willi : • :h i)ro\vn and lilac ; 0.75 X oC)0. This small Sparrow is a sumnur resident in the I'nited States, in the (bstant territory of the Ort-gon. and is likewise, arronling to Sloane, a common species in the savannas or open glades of the island of Jamaica. I'rom what little is known of it as a bird of the United States, it ajijjcars to 330 SINGING BIRDS. remain in the sheltered plains of the sea-coast of New York and New Jersey until the very commencement of winter. Il i> also observed in the lower parts of i'ennsylvania ; and about the middle of May, or later, they are occasionally seen in the gar- dens in Camhriiige, Mass., on their way ai)parently to sonn' other breeding-station. On these occasions they perch in sheltered trees in pairs, and sing in an agreeable voice sonu- what like that of the I'urple Kinch, tiiough less vigorously, in the West Indies they live much on the ground, and run like Larks, Hying low when flushed, and soon alighting. Their nesl is likewise fixed on the ground, among the grass, where they collect their usual fare of seeds and insects. The majority of local students of bird life to-day consider this species more or less common in Massacliusetts and Connecticut, and it is known to occur in parts of the more northern New Kni; land States, and in New York, Ohio, Ontario, and Michigan. One e.\ami)le has been taken in New Brunswick. Its supposed rarity by- earlier oI)servers was i)r()l)ably due to its usual conccalnuiU amid the tall grass and to its lack of an attractive song; for in spite of NuttalTs assurance to the contrary, modern observers have in- dorsed tlie oj^inion expressed by one of tlieir leaders that " its best vocalization is scarcely stronger or more musi< al than the stridiihi- tion of a grasshopper." HEXSI.O\Y'S SPARRONY. IIENSLOWS nUNTING. .XmMODRANU'S IIINSt.OWII. f IIAR. Above, streaked with olive brown, bay, and gray ; crown cine gray, with two blackish stripes; edge of wing yellow; below, btilT, pakr on throat and belly ; sides of throat and sides of body streakctl witli black. Length about 5 inches. A'rs/. In a field, concealed amid long gr.ass ; made of grass with ;i lining of hair. E^i,X^. 4-5; dull white, sometimes tinged with green, spotted wit''. brown and lilae ; 0.75 X 0.60. This s])ecies, so much allied to the Yellow-winged Finch discovered by Audubon, is known to breed in New Jcisey. St of New York of winter, Ii i^ , ; and about tlic ,een in the gnr- arently to sonic they perch in ible voice sonu- vigorously. In 1(1, and run Hko ting. Their nest rass, where thiy '-" t°-^"'-E's M.ARKOW. As a winter bini or ,,;,„,,,, :, ■ ' ^^' •••"•I -•■'l"ally ab„„,l.„, in'-.h" ;;'7"""' m .s„„„, c-,ru,i,„, '"< ';>■ .-hoicc the light s,-,„,r' i '■* "' '■'""'1^'. »-" " keeps „n ,|,e ^,,^1 Z„ "'"^'^""" "'"> P'n-t "fa mouse. =" ""• «"•>» wuh the „i,„I,le,H;s '""''' tl,an near tl,c Atlantic sc^a^u. '"'"'" "'"'>^^"' '" the day consider tliis and Connecticut, irtliern New Kiii; 1 Miciiijran. One ts supposed rarity isual conccaliniiil L' son,i^ ; for in spite olisorvcrs have in- Icrs tliat ■• its l)L.st than the stridula- ndgray : crown i'!ive w; below, buff. I'l'^r ■ body streaUctl with lade of grass wuli ^ green, spotted wit''. low- winged I'inch •d in New Jersey. IE CON TK's SI'.XkKoU'. LE COXTKs „i;XT/No. '^"AR. General col n'sh and ,,f |,i.,c|^ •^I'lLc then the species h-,« K / '~^''*niAtsf,n thv /;.,knf-. , i • -"-•'•S etc., to SoTnh C^rolin ' fr;?" ""^"^''> '"inoi.s ;?;: ' a rare '>ird. - Rid^eu-av tMnk ' t ' "''''•^- ^^ - f-" "on";' ! ,' ''^ overlooked. '^*-'''"^* ^^^^ doubtless caii.sed l''e I)irds resemble Henslnw'. c .^•' ^I^^'cies arc similar. OnK on ^^''''"^'- ^"^^ '^^ LaMts of ,he TRi:i: SPARROW. Sl'IZKI.I A MONTROI.A. Ch\r. Above, streaked with l)lack, bay. and buff; rrowii clKstmit, soinctiiiics tlie ftailicis tiij^ed witli asliy ; sides of lieatl ami neck asliy , line Oom beiiind eyes chestnut ; \vini;s witli two wliite bars; edges of tail- fcatiiers wiiite ; below, dull white, breast and tiiroat tin:;ed with ash ; spot of brown on the breast; Hanks shaded with brown. Length ^1*4 inches. Nist. (Jn the ground or in a low bush ; made of grass, twigs, ami roots. — sometimes cemented with mud, — lined witli hair or fiatlieis. A;%'' 4-5; pale green or greenish blue, spotted witiireddish l)rown ; 0.75 X 0.60. This handsome winter Sparrow arrives from the northern regions in New ICngland about the close of October, withcb'aw- ing from Hudson IJay and the neighl)oring countries some- time in the month of September. The species conseciuently, like many more of our Fn'//i;i7/tis, only measures its s])eed by the resources of subsistence it is able to obtain, and thus straggling southward as the winter advances, it enters Pennsyl- vania only about the beginning of November; there, as well :i> in the maritime jiarts of Massachusetts, and perhaps as fir south as Virginia, tlie Tree Sparrow is often associated with the hardy Snow Hirds, gleaning a similar kind of subsistence: and when the severity of winter commences, leaving the wooils. gardens, and uplands in which it is an occasional visitor, it seeks in company the shelter of some bushy swamp, thi( kly shaded brook, or spring. Near Fresh Pond, in this vicinity, Clill'l'INCi srAKKuW. ' ^ 3 a ami neck a^hy , :,,gih r,>^ inches. [ grass, Uv>^s. ^uul ai'v or {catlKMS. ith vciUlish \>rowu , m the northern o\)or, with(\r;i\v- onntrios sonn- ;s consecincntlv, .-OS its speed I'V Attain, and thus enters I'ennsyl- there, as weh ;'> 1 perhaps as t,.r associated with ;\ of subsistence ; aving the woo*l^. asional visitor. U X swamp, thukly in this viciniiy these birds are at that reason niuneroiis, and roost t(ij,'itlu r near the marnin of the reeds, ahnost in the society of the Illackbirds, who seek out a similar place ol warnuh and shelter as the (hilling frosts begin to prevail. At this (:o(j1 and gloomy season, and down to the elo-,e oi' the first week in Novend;er, as they pass tVom hraiK li to branch and play capriciously round each other, they keep up almost perpetually a low and pleasant liipiid warble, not nuu h unlike that of the Yellow llinl (/''n'/ii^/VAi fris/is), but less varied. Sometimes two or three at the same time will time up s'aHft/it s'h'fi'i/i/ 'n'Cit, w\\\.\ s'uHiiiUt s' t^'aiilit Wtt t, accompanied by some tremulous trilling and variation, whi( h, though rather sad and (pierulous, is heard at this silent season with peculiar delight. In summer, during the breeding-time, they e.xpress eonsiderable melody. According to Mr. Hutchins they breed around the Hudson I'.ay settlements, making a nest in the hirbage, formed i\ier- iially of dry grass, and lined with soft hair or down, probably fimn vegetables, in the manner of the N'ellow IJini. About the hrginning of April they leave the Middle States for their sum- mer ([uarters, and arrive around Severn River in May ; they also probably pro])agate in Newfoundland, where tiny hive been observed. With us they are still si'en in ntuubers to the i<)th of April. Numbers of the Tree Sjiarrow winter regularly in tlic Maritime I'nnincos of Canada. Maeoun repoits the species eommon in siiiniiK'r at Lake Mistassini, which lies a liille to the soutluvarcl of 1 bulson Bay. CHIPPINd SPARROW. CHIPPY. IIAIR-P.IKI). Sl'lZKI.I.A SOllAI.IS. Char. Above, stna,.L'd with gravi>li brown, l)lnck, and bay ; crown (liL>iiiut; forehead black ; sides of head and neck ashy ; dull white line iivtreyes; dusky stripe from bUi through e\es; tail forked and dusky with pale edgings ; wings with two wliite bars ; hclow, dull white, tinged with ash on breast and sides. Length about 5'j inches. 1 ." 334 SINGING IJIRDS. A'isf. Id a pasture, orchard, or garden, iilaccd in a bush or low tree; tonii'isetl of grass, — honielinics mixed with roots, — thickly lined with horse iiair. /iX:v-''- 4-5; bluish green, spotteel, chielly about the larger end, willi Ijrown, black, and lilac; 0.70 X 0.50. 'J his si)cird varies sometimes consider- ably in its materials and composition. 'I'he external layer. CIlll'l'INC; SrARROW, 335 )r low tVLt.' ; lined with :r cml, witii ; the must cil Stales, the banks a comniou iiany para- cncounter, its eggs, il uses, barns, litre of ihe ;1 court an of favor or k shrubs ut ; habitatujn. w rose-bush, ly degree ot the thresh- h intentlnu the orchanl ly woods an It niake^ iiplaint when hard tree or /s/i '/s/i 'A/.' and a htiU ilhout any oi lis eonlinueil Icr than Uh- Ic attemhns^ siniinier ami ime to time seldom so thick but that it may be readily seen through, is (oniposed of dry stalks of withered grass, and lined more or lc>-> with horse or cow hair. The Cuckoo destroys many eggs of this timid, harmless, and sociable little bird, as the nests are ic.ulily discovered and numerous; on such occasions tlie little sufferer expresses great and unusual anxiety for the security of her charge, anil after being repeatetlly robbed, the female sits cloMcly sometimes upon perhaps only two eggs, desirous at any rate to escape if i)o.--sible with some of her little t)ffs])ring. Two or more broods are r.iised in the season. 'I'owards the close of summer th.e parents and their brood are seen busily engaged collecting seeds and insects in the neighboring fields and lanes, and now bectjuie so numerous, as tlic autumn advances, that Ibtling before the path on either side as the passenger proceeds, tliey almost resemble the failing leaves of the season rustling before the cheerless blast ; an 1 thially, as their food fails ;ind the fir^t snows begin to appear, advertised of tlie llireatening funine, they disajipear and winter in the Southern States. In the month of January, in (leorgia, during the continuance of the cool weather and fin^ty nights, I freipiently heard at dusk a confused chirping or piping like that of frogs, am' at lengtii dii.M.overed the noi>e to proceed from dense llocks of the Chipping Sjjarrows roosting or huddling near together in a pile of thick brush, where, willi the Song Sparrow also, they find means to i)ass the cool ni-hls. The Chipping Sparrow (ic( iirs throughout the Mari- time Provinces and westward to the Roi kie^ and noriiuvanl to tile ( Ireat Slave J.ake region. It is abundant in (^uebe<' and Ontario. XoTi:. — One exaniple of Uki.wik's Si'Akiuiw (S/>/:r//ii />>: :,;■>■/). a bird that dwells chicflv on the western slo|)es ol' the iv ekies, has been taken in Massaeiui^eiis. _'S consider- lerncd layer. ^''kt^^f^. yj^,?;:i.'i"ai^T?r-?.!'jw^'jAi'ajjiiijB.'iia 336 SINdINX; BIRDS. FII-LD SPARROW. Sl'IilKLLV I'USIM.A. ("IIAK. Above, strcnktcl rufous, l)lack, and I)uff; crown chestnut, witli ol-isnuc median liiiu ut ash ; liind neck, sides ot liuad and neck a.-li ; cIki. k shaded witli brown; wings witli two wliitc bars; below, white ; breast aiul throat tinged with yellow. I.ength 5*4 inches. AV.i/. In a field, jiasturc, or (jpen woodland, amid a tuft of urass or in a tangled thicket, sometimes placeil on a low liii>h or vine; composed of grass, twigs, and straw, lined with hair, tine roots, or fur. ^'■:-:^'^- 3~5'y '!"" \\hiie or with buff or green lint, usually thickly spotted with reildish brown; 0.70 X 055. 'I'hc Small Hrown Spariuw arrives in Pennsylvania and New Knglantl itom the Southern States, where it passes the winter, in the beginning of Aijril. It is with us a shy, wild, and retir- ing si)ecies, ])artial to dry hills and pastures, and open, l)iisli\, secluded woods, living nitich in trees. In autumn, indeed, the pair, accompanied by their brood, in small lliiting llocks lea\c their native wilds, antl glean at times in the garden or orchard ; yet but little is now seen of them, as they only approach culti- vated grounds a few weeks before their departure. The-i- Sparrows, if indeed they are the same as those described by Wilson, in winter tlock together in great numbers in the Southern States, and mingling with the Chipping Birds and other species, they now line the roads, fences, and straggling' bushes near the ])lantations in such numbers as, witii ihnr sober and brown livery, to resemble almost a shower of rii-^t- ling and falling leaves, continually haunting the advancing steps of the traveller in hungry, active tlocks, driven by the storms of winter into this temporary and irksome exile, lint no sooner does the return of early si)ring arrive than the\ ilit entirely from the Southern wilds to disperse in pairs and seek out again their favorite natal regions of the North. Our little bird has a pretty loud and shrill note, which may be heard at a considerable distance, and possesses some variety of tone and expression. Sometimes it is something like /.'.r fiC'cf ttcidi, tij ^tto 'tio 7<\' Vri' 7u' 'f-n>, beginning loud md FIELD SPARROW. 1 •> V 1 chefitnut. with ucck ;i>h ; cIk. k ,{t of ;-,»•;»> ov in le; coini)oscd ol ly ihickly spotted vanui anvl N-^'^^' SSL'S the wiuur, wild, and rcUi- ad open, \)ushv, mn, indeed, ihc ting llocks leave ■den ov orchard ; ap\)roach cuUi- parture. 'I'l^^-"' )se describeil \iy mnnbers in di^ ,ping iVnds ana ,s, and straiii^li'V ;s as, Nvitb dull shower of ru-^t- ihe advanciivi [s, driven by du' ;ome exile. I''>t ive than the\ ihi [in pairs and seek )rlh. note, which may ises some varietv [mething lil^^' '•'' ■inning loud md (r slow, and going up and down, shrill and ■ Je ,/,■ ,/e ,/' ,/' ^'"^"'^'"^ '/'^ '/r\ rapitl and echoing then r.v,/ r.vv/ r.vvv/ KuU tl- \i \i \i \/ \i V/, also 7i.norous, and Without the changeless monotony of that species. In fact, our Mrd would be w-rthy a place in a cage as a songster of some merit. Like most of the Sparrows, the food of this si)ecies ...UMsts of seeds and insects; and they also search the leaves and branches at times in cjuesi of moths, of which they apjjear fond. The Field Sparrow is ratlicr rare north of Massacluisetts. It has not l)een taken in the Maritime Provinces, though Mr. .\\ il.M)n thinks it not uncommon near the city of Quebec, and it is common thr.iii^hout Ontario and in Manitol)a. XoTi:. — A few examples of tlie Ci..\v-( oronKt) Siwkkow ^Spiu-11,1 p,illi(ia) wander every year irom their usual haiiitat on the (ircat Plains to Iowa and Illinois. \"L. I. FOX SPARROW. PasSKRKI.I.A II.IACA. Char Above, foxv rtd (brightest on wings and rump) streaked with ash i(in winter the ash is sumetimes obscure); head and tail wiilidtit strtaki* . win^s witii two white bars; below, white spotted with ixil. Length about 7 inches. ,\V;/. Amid moss, or on a low bush , co'upostd of grass and moss, lined with gras.-', roots, and feathers. £j^^j. 4-5; white with green or blue I'.nge, spotted and blotched with brown of several shades (sonietin)es the brown almost conceal> the ground colon; great variation in size, average about o.So X 065. Thi> larf,'c and handsome Sp:irr()sv, after ]xissin}^ the siUDiiur and breedin<,'-season in the northern regions of the contiiicii; arourifl Hudson Hay, and farther north and west perhaps to the i»hores of the Pacif^.r, visits ns in stragghng parties or pair< from the middle of October to November. .\t this time :: frequents low, sheltered thickets in moist and watery situatioih. where it usnally descends to the ground and is bnsilv eni]il'iyi in scratching up the earth and rustling among the fallen K ivo in qtiest of seeds, worms, and insects, but more ]wrticularly lb j last. It migrates in a desultory manner, and sometimes arrive- sLATK-coi.oki-n jrxco. eorgia, ])assiiig the winii-r in tl 339 10 SoiUluTIl iL- sprin- I,, iis favoriic bnrcal ■^il<-'m l)ir(lh, rather t, line and or separatnl tluir call is sinii'Iv th« as far south as ( States and retiriiiLj; t-arly in tl ntrcatii. These Sparrows are nns'ispicious ; when alarmed .//./, slup; yet at times in me sprin-, a utile DeL.re their departure, they whisj.er forth a k^^^• l.,u- and sueet n.nes indi- cative of the existence of vocal i.owers in the pairin- season According to Richardson this species breeds in \he woody districts of the fur countries up to the G.Sth parallel. Nuttall was correct in his conjecture that the Fox Sparrow is a v..eahst. It ranks as a peer of the best songsters of tl,e enthe Sparrow-finch tn!)e. 1 have heard tiio song frequently in New Brunswick, when cold storms have detained the birds on their journev north nntii the approach of their mating season. Sometimes thev arrive there early m March, and pass on in a couple of weeks, without utterin- any other note than a metallic .//.■,/. Hut when th.v tarrv until alter the first week in April they then burst into full son.'r and s.n.:;- almost continuously. It is a -fervent, .sensuous, and witlKil perteetly rounded carol,-' writes William iJrewster: and he adds- •• il expresses careless joy and exultant masculine vi-or ratlier than the imer shades ot .sentiment." The voice is strong, of wide com pass, and sweet, ricii tone. Nests of this .species have been found on the Magdalen Nhnds and n, Xewtoumlland, where it is called the Iled-e Sparrow, and I liompson reports it breeding in numbers on Duck .Mountain in Manitoba. SLATK-coi.oRi-n jrxco. SXOW liJRD. WIllTF. nil.!.. Jl'N'CO IIM,MAI.I>. '■||\K. Upper parts, neck, .and lnLa>t dark state or blackish :,'A^■. lit N>w- from breast barkwani —white ; outer tail-te.athei> and bill wh;t.. I.cn,i;thr,>4' to6'.. ineiies. -\.-.'/. In grassy woudknul, oi old meadow, or hv the roadsiije. some- -111' s in the garden of a tainiliunse ; pkurd nndtr the shtlter ofa niomul '"■ Muni]), or amid long grass. coniiH.>Ld. u>uallv, of gra-s. >.Mi,u.times 'iiixL.l with roots or moss; lining ii.snally of lcatlier», hut' sometimes hair, nn-, Ml moss is used 340 SIN'GING lilRDS. /\.Xs. 4-5; dull white, or tiiitid with j^rccn or buff, spotted cliietly arouud l;irger cud witli rLMldi>li-bri)\vn and lilac; o.So X 0.60. This h;ir(ly and very nuincnjus spucics, conunon to l)()lli continents, pours in flocks from the northern regions into the United States about the middle of October, where their a])- pearancc is looked upon as the presage of approaching winter. At this season they migrate into the Southern States in great numbers, and seem to arrive in augmenting hosts with the l)rogress of the wintry storms and driving snows, before whi( h they fly for food rather than shelter; for even during the descent of the whitening inimdation, and while the tem])tsl still rages without abatement, these hardy and lonely wander- ers are often seen flitting before the blast, and, seeking ad- vantage from the sweei)ing current, descend to collect a scanty pittance from the frozen and e.\])osed ground, or stop to col- lect the seeds which still remain upon the luishorn weeds rising through the dreary waste. At such times they are alM) frecjuently accompanied by the Snow liunting, the humbly dressed Yellow I!ird, and the (luerulous Chickadee. Driwii to straits, however, by hunger, they at length become ?ii(jrc familiar, and are now seen about the barns and out-housis, si)reading themselves in busy groups over the yard, and even ai)proaching the steps of the door in towns and cities, and gleaning thankfully from the threshold any crumbs or a( c i- dental fragments of provision, .\midst all this threatening and starving weather, which they encounter almost alone, they nrc still lively, active, and familiar. The roads, presenting iin accidental resource of food for these northern swarms, are con- sequently more frequented by them than the fields. IJefore the severity of the season commences, they are usually only sllii moving in families ; and the ])arents, watchful for the common safety, still continue by reiterated chirpings to warn their lull grown brood of every approac h of danger, and. withdrawin.' them from any suspicious observation, wander off to securer ground. At this time they frequent the borders of woods, seek through the thickets and among the fallen leaves for their] usual food of seeds and dormanl insects or their larv?e. Their SLATE-COLOKlil) [L\CU. spotted chicily f)0. ;ions inU) ll^' \cxc Ihcir ap- states in groal hosis with tlK' s, •l)cft)ro whit U J,, .luring lii^' ilc the tcnM>^>^ lonciy wantlov- na, seeking a.l- , collect a scanty A, or stop to c.l- . unshorn weds mes they are al^, ,-,,,g, the humMy dckadee. Driven rth become move s and otit-hous^s, L yard, and even ^s and cities, aivl crumbs or aci- i\s threatening aivl ,st alone, they arc lis, presenting -'i^ L sNvarms, are euu- fields. IW-fore ik usually only se.n L\ for the common to warn their lull and. withdrawing Lier off to sec kiri-, of the Ku-.t ll,Kk^ ihc famished Hawk ])ro\vls for liis fated ] "vy, ami desceiKhiiL; with a stidden ancl successful sweep, carrier, terror ll he wanderini; and retreating ranks. irou^h all In the latter end of March or 1 )efnnnuii M"il, weather begins to be mild, they re-ai)iiear in Hocks I South, frecjuenting the (jn hard t as tin tcr of the Woods, and rees, or retreating to tl roni the le ^hel- seem now [o j.refer the shade ot thickets )i- the sides of hills, and fre(|uenilv utter a t note^ th ew sweet, clear, and Imost snmlar to the touching warble of the lairopean Robin Redbreast. The jealous \onk>i for the selection of mates already also takes place, soon after whi( h they retire to the northern regions to breed ; though, accord- ing to Wilson, many remove only to the high ranges of the Alleghany Mountains, where, in the interior of \'iiginia, and t(nvards the western .sources of the Sus(|uehanna, iluy' al^o breed in great numbers, fixing their nests on the ground or among the grass, the pairs still associating in nrar ci)mnumion with each other. In the fur countries they were not observed by Richardson beyond the 57th parallel. i'ho Junco breeds from northern New faigland northward and on the higher hills .south to North Carolina. It is an alnuuluit .summer re.sident of the .Maritime rrovinee.s, au.l winters tlure in small numbers, it al.so winters sixir.selv in northern New Kn-I.uid an,! ii-om Massaclui.setts southward it is a coMunon winter binl Ihe .song is very similar to that n| the (Jjiippin- .Spam.w Iliough usually building its nest on the ground, a lew have hern iouud m other situations. .Sheriff i;ishr)p. of Kentville X .S it corded in the O. & O. for .September, iSS.S, fuKling nests on bran.""l: s 01 Inw trees, .n holes in apple-trees, etc. -\yTK, - Lxamples of the Oki:(,ox Jt'vro (/. hvemalis on-.-ottv^) J^n.li was discovered by Xuttal! and RichanlMui in the forests of "iv-on, Iiave wandered into .Michigan and M.is.saelui.setts Anuilier species, th.e C.m^oi.ina Jin< ., ^fmuo c,in>//>u;,u\) ^\.;> tust de.scribed by Mr. William lirewsler bom siK-cimens o!,- I'li'ed by him on the mountains of North Cirolina in June iSS; ' IS nuieh larger and li-hter colored than /ivnn.t/is. and'has a liorn-.olored bill. 34^ SINGING i;iKl)^. SWAMP SPARROW. Mr.LOSl'IZA GEOUCIIANA. CilAK. Al)i)vc, streaked with brown, Mack, ami buff; crnwn bay, sonii. times witli iiulistiiK I lucdian line ol asli and streaks ol blaLk; Inre- liead black; brnwii >tiii)e beiiinil eyes, sides of licail and r.eck ash; l)el()\v, dull white, brca>t shaded with ash, sides shaded with brown , wint;s anil tail tinged with bay. Len^lh about 5-4 inches. A'ts^. Under cover of long grass, in a swanip or wet meadow ; usually made entirely of gra.ss, though sometimes wccd-slcms are added to ihe e.xterior, and liair is used in lining. /■-,:.;:;■■!. 4-6; dull white, tinted with green, blue, or jiink, blotched, often clouded, with lilac and several shades of brown ; o.iio X o.Oo. The iKiuatic habits of these coiiitnon, though little known, birds is one of their most remarkable peculiarities. In New I'jigland they arrive from tiie Soiitheru Slates, where they win- ter, about the iiiitldle of April, and take n]) their .lumnier resi- dence in the swamps ami marshy meadows through whi( h, often without Hying, they thread their devious way with tiic same alacrity as the Rail, with whom they are indeed oluii associated in neighborlK)od. In conseiiuence of this i)erpetiKil brushing through sedge and bushes, their feathers are frc- (juently so worn that their tails appear almost like those ot rats, and arc very often llirtcd in the manner of the Wagtail. Occasionally, howe\er, they mount to the tops of low buslies or willow-trees and chant forth a few trilling, rather monoto- nous minor notes, resembling, in some measure, the song of the Field Sparrow, and appearing like A'.'(' /.v' /Ti'' /ri'' /Tc'' /,■.■ /-iv', and /7i'/' A-i'V 7a' /a-' /nr, uttered in a pleasant and some- what varied warble. These notes are made with consider iMe effort, and sometimes with a spreading of the tail. In ilu spring, on their first arrival, this song is delivered with nvuh spirit, and echoes through the marshes like the trill of iliei Canary. The sound now resembles the syllables '/Vt.' '/;.' '/,'. '/7iw '/7.VV 'f7c> 'fret' 't-,vc, or 'A/// 'A///- 'tshc 'ts"-.^lly , ;irc added l>. >1^^' .,,U,WnKbcd,..luu X o.Oo. .^5h Uttk knoNvn, bnucs. in N^- „ ^vhere tbcv w>n- h,ir summer rcM- vs through Nvh>> 1^. ious way Nvhh UK' , ,re hvlce.l ofun L. ntlhis poriKU'.il r feathers are trc- lu.ost like those o ,,, of the NVagt.>>l. ,,ps of low bu>l-'> .,yr rather iwnv>i- ,;;nre. the son^ -'< /.^,' /r.'' /«'' ^^' ^■-' pleasant and sonu'- L with consulev >hU Lf the tall, m -IH Lhvered with nva like the trill oi v el bvUaWes '^^' '^;\;': I/;, v./. v.// V-s// A" uive ; and the ^>>^- L ^fter sunset u^ t J In somewhat sm^lvl to that of the Chiiiping Sparrow, hm tar IoikUt and more musi- cal. In the intervals the Swamp Sparrow (KstriKK into the grassy tussocks and low bushes in quest of his insect food, as well as to repose out of sight ; and while here his movements are as silent and secret as those ol' a mouse. The rice planta- tions and river swani])s are the favorite hibernal ri'xirts of ih ese birds in Louisiana, (lecjrLua, and the Carol mas lere the }' ri are very numerous, and skulk among the canes, reeds, and rank LTiass, solicitous of concealment, and alwa\s exhibiting their predilection for watery places. In the breeding season, before the ripening of many seeds, they live much on the insects of the marshes in which they are found. ])articularly the smaller coleopterous kinds, Caraln and Ciirctilioin-s. 'I'hey e.\tt.'nd their northern migrations as far as the coasts of Labrador and Newt'oundland. They probably raise two or three broods in a season, lieing pially prolific with t)ur other Sparrows, 'ihev express extreme icitude for their young even after they are fully Hedged and .ilile to i)rovide for themselves; the young also, in their turn, pM^sess uncommon cunning and agility, running and concealing ihemselves in the sedge of the wet meadows. 'rhe\- are (|Mile as difhcult to catch as field-mice, and seldom on tliese emer- gencies attem]:)t to take wing. We have observed one of these sauMcious liirds dart from one tussock to another, and at last ili\e into the grassy tuft in such a manner, or elude the grasj) Ml well, as seemingly to disappear or burrow into the earth. Their robust legs and feet, as well as long (laws, seem jnir- I'l-ely provided to accelerate this clinging and running on the lauven ground. This species is common tliroughout tlie settled portions of east- ern Canada, and abundant on the St. Clair I'lai.-. and in Manitoba. 'I 1'^^', SHARP- r.\II.i:i) SPARROW. SlIORK FINCH. AmM( )I»R.\.Mrs CAUnACUTUS. Ch\U. Above, brownish gray tin,i,'ed with olive; crown darker, w it 'i median stripe of asliy gray and two stripes of black ; I)ack streaked with black; stripes of l)iit"f above and below eyes meeting bcliind car-coveit-, wings edged with yellow: tail-feathers narrow, with acutely pointed tip-: below, dull white, breast and sides tinged with bull and streaked with black. Length about 5 '4 inches. A\:tt. In a salt-marsh or wet meadow, amid a cluster of reeds or inft of sedges, to the stems of which it is sometimes fastened; a soniewliai bulky structure of grass and weed-stems, lined with fine grass. I\^'',^'s. 4-5; dull white or tinged with butT or green, thickly spottd with brown and lilac; 0.75 X 0.55. The Shore iMiich is an inh;il)itant of the low islands ami marshy sea-coasts from Massachusetts to Texas, living on small shrim])s, marine insects, and probably grass seeds, niM\- ing through the rank herbage nearly with the same agility .mil timidity as a Swamp S])arro\v, to which in structure nt" ihe feet and stoutness of the bill it bears considerable artiiiitv. ACADIAN MIAKI'-IAII.KD .>I'AKR()\V. 345 These birds arc not rare, though not s(, numcnnis as the Sea- side Sparrow, with which they cotDmonly associate. These l-'inches fre(itieiu the water, and walk on the lloating weeds as if on the land ; throiij^lKjiu the winter they remain jiiv^arious till spring', when tiiey M.parate lor tiie purpose of breeding. They are almost silent, a >in;,'le fur,/ being now ,ill ihey are heard to utter; and even in the sprmg, so defec- tive are they in melody that their note-, are scarcely worth) the name of a song. Ihey nest on the ground, amid the slu)rt marsh-grass near the line of high-water ni.irk , a slight hollow is made, and then lined with delicate gra.ss, 1 hey raise two hiuuds in the season in the Mitldle .Stales. •Sharp-tails"' have been traced north to I'rinrc lalwarcrs Island. hill ill icS87 Mr. Jonathan Dwigiit. Jr..
  • »«:ov«.rc(l tliat tnu- t-,///cing adi.stinct variety, which he named siiltv/ri;a/us. W. , crown cbrkcr,^^";; • back sucakca vvuh ■ ch-nulc;u-covcu-. \a ;uu\ sivcaUccl vvnh Ltencc\; a soukwI''' [e low islands an.l Texas, \\y^^ "" arass seeds, nv.v- e'samc agUitV nvl L strvu-iur e of ili^' ins siderablc aft^nay. Ac.\i)i.\N SH.\Ri'-r.\iij:r> sparrow. .Am-Modramus c;.\ri)ACfjr>« si:iMur..\ivH. I'll \K. " Similar in size and colorinj; to /I. (awliuuius, but paler and iiiuili less conspicuously streaked I)cneath wiih j»alt ^Tftnish pray instead "I M.ick or dee]) brown, bill averages smaller. <.om[)arcd with luisoiii It i- tiiuch ])aler and gr.aycr, generally larger, and wiih a ion);er bill" (l>\\i,i;ht). A". Z and E!^i:^s are not known to differ from th'/M; of true iiiuddiutus. The habitat of this newly discovered svi\ys\ttfMs. or. rather, the limit of its range, has not yet been determiiJcL Mr. Dwiglit ^ives i! as ".Marshes of southern New iJrunswkk, I'rirK r lidward's Islaiul. and probably Nova Scotia, and soutliward in migration aloni; the Atlantic coast." In habits the j>n.->»ent I>ird flitters from (au.iaiutus in frequenting fresh-water marshcii anfl rlry meadows on ilic margins of inland streams. '1 he song of tliis bird if its few wlieezy note^ deserve such ivnionition — is a rather ludicrous cfl'ort. and -suj^i^ests ;i b.nl (old ill the head. .Mr. Dwight represents it by tJx- syllables Ik-xc-e- c-c-oo[^. All I remember liavint^ heard from tbe specimens I Liicoimtered is the sce-c-c-e-oop, delivered with apparent etfort, as if cliokiiiir. 340 SINCiINd IIIKDS. Ni:i-S()N'S SI'AKKOW. Ammodkamis cAL'iJAci'i is nklsoni. Char. Differ^ IKiin ilic type l)y tlic cnlors of the back bciiij;\(i\ sl)ai|)lv (kt'iULil, the white .i clearer hli.ulc, ami the l)rn\vii a richer aii.i iiiiHc decided umber , client aiul >ides deep butt'. Si/e larj^cr than tin IdlldiUlltllS. A't-s* and E,i;x-^ .similar to iaiiiiaaitiis. Nelson's Shari>l;iil was described In- ^Fr. J. A. Allen in tS;^. It is luiiiul ill siiinnier on tiie niarslies of the Mississippi v:il!r\, and in winter oti the Atlantic- coast from .Massaeinisetts (spaiin.i;h; to iNortii Carolina, atid possibly to the dull States. SHASIDi; SI 'ARROW. SKAsinr: i-jncii. Am.Mi It >KA.MUS MAKII IMLS. Char. Above, dull olive brown, back and head with indistinct siic.iks of ashy ; superciliary line and e